Mistakes Were Made
by TheCsquared
Summary: Gajeel Redfox's life is just full of mistakes. From the moment he chose Phantom Lord for a high school, he had decided to walk on a long path of errors, blunders, and gaffes. But somewhere, somewhere out there, there's a girl who can look past all the failures and accept him for who he is. Even if he screws up almost everything. GaLe, multiple chapters.
1. Epic Mistake

**So, I was reading my past fanfics, some unpublished Naruto randomness that was ABSOLUTELY HORRID.**

**Grammar mistakes, comma overload, and total monotony of sentences! I was like, "Was I this boring back then?" **

**And after almost hurling while reading the fic, I decided to heal myself with some pure GaLe goodness. I just love that couple. Plus, this idea just bloomed into my head. It might be a little cliché, but to be honest, sometimes I enjoy that. And, I get to be my ridiculous, crazy, fun-loving self while I write it! What's not to like?**

**Because I like funny little events that will eventually string together into a nice fluffy story. So, maybe as a reader, you like that too?**

**Plus, a lot of GaLe High school fics are from LEVY'S point of view, since it's probably easier to describe her feelings. But this will be MOSTLY from Gajeel's point of view, just to mix things up. Plus, he's a character you don't really get into much, right?**

**I used 'plus' twice in that paragraph...**

**One last thing- this fanfic starts at Gajeel's Phantom days, since I thought it would interesting to describe him in a rough, dingy, badass school. It's a bit of a slow beginning.**

**Anyway, I hope you enjoy this fanfiction!**

* * *

Mistake.

That was what it was.

A big, fat, hulking mistake, with a capital M-I-S-T-A-K-E.

The day 14-year-old Gajeel Redfox had graduated middle school, he had declared a choice to the world. The moment he had exited the doors of Magnolia Middle on the last day of school he had flung his diploma up into the air and held his arms out wide. With that, he opened his mouth. He had shouted which high school he had wanted to attend, out of many in Magnolia.

He could have picked Crime Sorciere High. The noble yet mysterious school that ranked 3rd place in the city, known best of all for their extremely high test scores.

Blue Pegasus High. An academy specializing in etiquette and manners training to help teenagers become young ladies and gentlemen, ranked 5th place.

Quattro Cerberus High. A rowdy school with stellar athletes that dominated and crushed the competition. Ranked 6th place.

Lamia Scale High. The school excelled at speech and debate, and was very fluent with words. It stood at 4th place in the city.

Sabertooth High. A well-rounded school doing well in almost everything, from academics to extracurriculars. It ranked at 2nd best.

And, the top academy in Magnolia, Fairy Tail High, was all of these fantastic schools rolled into one. Students worked amazingly well together, and won countless tournaments, sports games, and competitions. Their test scores towered over the rest. But the thing that stood out most about the high school was its tightly woven community. It was like the students were all best friends, and they all came together to create the number one high school in the city.

But... No.

Those excellent, top-notch high schools weren't good enough for Gajeel. He was a delinquent, a badass, and a troublemaker, and he did NOT want to attend some prissy high that scored best on tests. Gajeel liked danger, and adventure, and mischief. And he knew exactly where to go for that kind of action.

Then, as a huge smirk formed on his lips, he shouted his choice into the air, not knowing that it would totally screw his life up.

"PHANTOM LORD HIGH!"

* * *

"Ah, SHIT!"

Gajeel swore as he pulled a piece of charred toast from his smoking silver toaster. Apparently, three minutes was too long to try to toast bread. It burned his fingers, and he quickly transferred the toast to his mouth to eat it before it could destroy his hands. He glanced at the clock.

"8:49 AM. Still got maybe ten minutes until I gotta leave." Gajeel said to himself.

Blood was rushing through his veins, and excitement twinkled in his blood-red eyes. Today was, in fact, his first day of high school. But not at ANY high school. At the notorious Phantom Lord High, where nobody knew what kind of shit went down. All they knew that it was hell for good guys and heaven for delinquents and badasses. And that was what Gajeel was, so this would be perfect for him!

"Eh, better get going..." he said, reaching for his studded navy boots. Yanking them on roughly, he 'gihi'ed.

_This was gonna be so epic._

* * *

After tromping through deserted streets and musty alleys, Gajeel had finally arrived on campus. His eyes widened at the sight of the school.

Phantom Lord High was... well... a MESS.

Faded graffiti was scrawled on the school's red brick walls. A huge clock was placed above all the front doors-it was cracked and broken. Empty beer and Red Bull cans lined the gum covered cement pavement. A sprinkling of rather dark-looking teens leaned against the building, smoking. The place was probably on the verge of collapse.

Perfect.

Gajeel's cracked lips split into a smile, and his pierced eyebrows creased with excitement. This was it! He was going to get into fights! He was going to make himself known in this ratty academy! He was going to FUCK SHIT UP!

A danger filled school like this one was just what Gajeel needed to quench his thirst for thrills. His fists clenched around the strap of his backpack, squeezing tightly.

"HOW SAD!" Someone moaned loudly from behind him, jerking the pierced boy out of his reverie.

Quickly, Gajeel whipped around, his hands balled and ready for a brawl.

He faced a huge boy with tan skin and a solemn smile. The boy was draped in an unnaturally large green coat, and wore a fedora of the same color on his head. Strangely, his eyes were covered by a white bandage.

Gajeel eased up. The guy standing in front of him didn't seem too malicious. He just looked kinda depressed, but in a sickening way. He was smiling, after all.

"Who're you?" Gajeel asked in a rough voice, wanting to prove his obvious manliness. He rubbed his muscular arms, flexing subtly. As 6 feet and 5 inches of tall, dark, and pierced, Gajeel WAS pretty scary. He looked like he could do some serious damage in a fight. Well, he didn't spend years going to the gym and fighting thugs in alleys to get nothing from it. Gajeel had lived a pretty rough life in a dangerous neighborhood as a kid. Knowing how to kick someone's ass was about as crucial as having food and water.

"I am Aria," the boy said, "and I find this all quite sorrowful..." Suddenly, tears began to stream out from under the bandage on his eyes.

"O-OI! Why're you cryin', ya freak?!" Aria sniffed loudly, and wailed.

''I feel sorrow for all the HEADS I AM GOING TO CRUSH IN THIS SCHOOL."

Gajeel smirked. Now this was a guy he could get used to. ''Do what ya want, but lemme let ya know you ain't crushin' MY HEAD. Nobody will." He said threateningly. The large crying boy smiled back.

"You sound strong. What is your name?"

"Gihi. Gajeel. Redfox."

"Ah... how sad... for you to have a name that sounds like death itself."

''I'll take that as a compliment." The pierced boy crossed his arms. "What's with the bandage, dude?"

''My eyes are sensitive to light. SORROWFUL, IS IT NOT? Yes, it is. But the cloth of the bandage is very thin, and I'm able to see through it."

"Hmph."

Gajeel turned away to face the school again. It was perfection. And maybe, with this possible new ally, he'd turn the whole thing upside-down.

He was going to collect the strongest people in this place, and rule.

A bell's ring cut through the murky air, signifying the beginning of the school day. Smirking again, Gajeel began to step towards the school in large, confident strides. With a strong hand, he pushed a front door open and sauntered right in.

The inside of the school looked even more severe than the outside. It was dark and dingy- the place was only lit by flickering ceiling panels that looked like they were about to give out. Grimy tiles lined the floor. Gum, cigarette butts, and other trash could be found in all the corners of the place. Menacing teens shuffled around, turning to look at Gajeel.

They gave him small smirks.

After all, Gajeel looked like one of them- strong, scary, and dangerous. His pierced face screamed rebellion. His red eyes tore your soul in two. His long mane of darkness made him look like a beast.

He was BADASS.

The students gave Gajeel subtle nods of acknowledgement, and shuffled through to let him pass. The pierced boy walked through them, his head held high and his brain exploding with confidence.

But one idiot had to ruin the entire thing.

He had a head full of scruffy red hair, and several scars on his face and arms. Sunglasses covered his eyes, and a black bandana was wrapped around his left bicep. Behind him stood a posse of about 4 guys, who looked extremely fierce. He stood tall like he was the shit, exuding dominance. The masses of teens began to stare uncomfortably at them.

Gajeel glared at him, his eyes saying, "You lookin' for a fight?" The dude glared right back, grinning mockingly.

"Well, look what we got here," he rumbled, crossing his thick arms, "a freshman punk." Gajeel's eyes narrowed, and he subconsciously lowered his head. He was preparing for a brawl.

"Not many freshmen got the guts to waltz in here like they own the place, Bub. And they ain't trippin'. So get the hell off your high horse." He punctuated his sentence by shoving Gajeel in the chest.

HARD.

The pierced boy stumbled back a little. His crimson eyes glinted with anger. Who did this guy think he was, anyway?

"Get outta the way." Gajeel growled. The red-haired boy almost guffawed, and he began to rub his wrists.

''Pfft. Now you're givin' me orders? You really got balls, eh? Maybe I should teach you how things work around here!"

Suddenly, the boy punched Gajeel right in the nose, making his head whip back. His eyes narrowed in fury, and he could feel a tiny stream of blood trickle on his face. The dude smirked evilly, showing a row of disgusting yellow choppers.

''I'm King, Alex King. As the name says, I RULE 'round here. Any punks disobeyin' the King get a punch in the face. So you better know who calls the shots in this place."

It didn't take a second before Gajeel had punched him right back.

Gasps broke out from the other students. A crowd of teens circled them, watching excitedly. It was officially a brawl- once the victim hit back, it was all out war from there. And war was something Phantom Lord LOVED. It was a battle between the new freshman and King, the senior ''ruling'' the school.

Nobody had ever dared to fight the King. He had fists of rock, ones that would smash almost anything. The one person who was stupid enough to talk back to him once was beaten up so badly, he was hardly recognizable anymore. Yet, this brave freshman actually punched him in the face? It was amazing!

King quickly recovered from Gajeel's hit, and his eyes flashed with anger.

"Punk... Lemme show you again what happens to people who fight the King!" He roared, and delivered a rough uppercut. The punch was solid, and Gajeel had a hard time shaking it off. But now, he was in fighting mode. There was no way he was going to lose to some phony self proclaimed king.

Why?

Because GAJEEL was going to rule.

And the first step to that would be getting rid of the old ruler.

His fingers curled into fists.

"Bring it, BITCH."

Gajeel lunged at King, giving him a jab in the side of the head. He dealt another blow to his stomach. King's flames of fury burnt hotter, and he began mercilessly boxing Gajeel's ears. It hurt like hell, but the pierced boy was soon able to block the punches with his hands. A quick duck let him escape King's rage, and he swiftly kicked him in the leg. But the kick didn't do much except irritate him even further. King yanked the neck of Gajeel's shirt and held tight as he beat him again. With a fast movement of his arm, King had thrown the pierced boy into a set of lockers.

"CLANG!"

As soon as Gajeel's head collided with the lockers, he swore in pain. That had hurt like a mother! Dazed, he sank to his knees.

''Now ya know, you little freshman," King growled, "now you know not to fuck around with me!" He balled a fist, getting ready to deal the final blow and win the brawl.

Gajeel's vision was blurred, but he searched his surroundings for something, anything, anything useful to fight with. Utilizing what was around him was one of the only ways he could escape this victorious.

Then, his sights fell upon a blackened iron pipe...

His gloved hands reached out fast, and grasped the pipe tight. King was charging at him, so he had to move quick. Gajeel hefted the weapon, and gripped it like a baseball bat. With a roar, he swung the pipe at King's head.

It hit with a thundering crash, and Gajeel could hear something cracking as the weapon made contact with King's face. He jerked back, and mumbled something incoherent. His eyes were unfocused, and he collapsed on the ground a second later.

unconscious.

Loud gasps erupted from the battle-watchers as they stared in disbelief. A FRESHMAN had come, and defeated KING, the ruler of the school? How strong was this new guy?!

Gajeel breathed heavily, and rested the pipe on his shoulder. His nose was still bleeding, and he could feel a bump on the back of his head where he had smashed into the lockers. But that didn't matter.

He had won!

The other students stared at him in amazement. They probably couldn't believe that the dude they had feared and respected had gotten creamed by a 15-year-old newbie.

Gajeel was jumping for joy inside, and his ego had inflated to about the size of a bus. But, his outside remained deathly calm and menacing. His eyes flashed challengingly to anyone who dared stop him. Everyone had gotten the message- Gajeel Redfox was BAD to the BONE, and anyone who tried messing with him would get an iron pipe up the ass.

Teens dispersed like curtains to let the pierced boy pass. He held his head high, and twirled his new weapon around. Looking at it some more, he realized it was a pretty good tool for fighting. It was light enough to carry, but heavy enough to deal serious damage. The iron pipe was a simple thing, and that was what he liked about it.

As he sauntered through, he heard another guy whisper something in another guy's ear.

"Ku... KUROGANE."

* * *

Almost a year passed, and Gajeel began to make a name for himself as he had promised to at the beginning of the school year. Around Phantom Lord, he was known as "Kurogane" or "Black Steel." The black iron pipe Gajeel had defeated the King with was what he was most known for. It was usually in his hands or stuffed in his backpack when he came to school. Nobody dared approach him-he was way deadlier than King ever was with that pipe in his possession.

Gajeel had also created a group, or a posse of some sort, to hang out with. It was composed of four uber-scary teens.

Aria, Gajeel's 'acquaintance' from the first day of school, was actually brutally strong. He was a pretty huge guy, after all.

Totomaru, a teen that could work a sword like nobody's business. Gajeel and him had fought before, and Totomaru's strength with swords almost matched Gajeel's iron pipe wielding skills.

Sol, a creepy looking French guy who was extremely flexible and limber. His nearly rubber body had wiggled him out of fights all the time.

And finally, Juvia, a girl who smelled like rain and sadness. She seemed incredibly depressed and in need of a friend. One day, Juvia was swimming in Phantom Lord's pool, and another guy had tried to jump her. She was like a mermaid in water-she swam away so fast. Eventually, she had pulled a water hose out on the dude and sprayed him to the ground. Her quick thinking had impressed the other members of the group, and they offered to let her join.

These four teens were badasses, just like Gajeel. He didn't consider them friends, just people he tolerated. But their company was actually okay sometimes.

Gajeel was leaning against the wall of the school one dark afternoon, drinking some Red Bull, when he heard his name being called from the school's loudspeakers.

"Gajeel. Gajeel Redfox. Come to the office.'' A static-y voice rumbled from all around. The other students of Phantom Lord high looked at Gajeel uncertainly. Usually their principal, Dr. Jose Porla, left them alone and let them do whatever they wanted. It was out of the ordinary for him to actually be paying attention to the students.

The pierced boy's face stayed emotionless as always, and the cold sheen of his metal piercings made him look almost unreal- more like a robot. Swinging his dreaded iron pipe over his shoulder, he began to stride to the principal's office, with students parting around him like the Red Sea.

* * *

"Ah. Gajeel. Come in."

Gajeel stared blankly at the doorknob to Dr. Jose's office. With an almost mechanical movement, he gripped it and twisted it to open the door.

A dark looking room was revealed to his eyes. The walls were a deep, velvety red, mixed with a few stripes of plum purple. Black wooden bookshelves lined the place, and in the center of the office stood a tall desk. Dr. Jose was sitting in a leather chair facing away from the door. How very mysterious of him.

Gajeel grunted to alert the principal of his presence.

Quickly, the chair spun around, showing none other than the principal of Phantom Lord High himself.

Dr. Jose always wore a strange purple hat, one similar to that of a jester's. He had long maroon hair and a sharp-looking mustache. He was a big fan of purple, because almost all his articles of clothing were in that color.

The principal smiled darkly at the pierced boy, his thin purple lips stretching. That was a smile that could creep out even Gajeel. He had seen Dr. Jose many times before, but it sent shivers up his spine every time he set eyes on the man.

"You've become quite infamous at this school, Gajeel."

_Shit, I'm in trouble for beating up all those people with my iron pipe, eh? _Gajeel thought. He was still carrying the weapon he was most known for, and his fingers tightened around it.

"I've seen everything. The brawls, the fights, the scuffles. I. SEE. EVERYTHING." Dr. Jose said.

Gajeel gulped.

"You know, that pipe is quite amazing. May I see it?" With an uncertain glance, the pierced boy handed it to him.

"Marvelous,'' Dr. Jose said as he rolled it around, "the perfect balance of heavy and light."

Gajeel wasn't sure what the hell the principal was thinking. Did he call him all the way here just to marvel at his iron pipe? What did Dr. Jose really want?

The principal gave the weapon back, and Gajeel felt safe once again as it was in his fingers.

"But, you are not here to show off your well known fighting tool, Gajeel." He said, answering the pierced boy's mental question. Gajeel grunted questioningly.

"Yes. You are here... for something much more important."

Dr. Jose opened a drawer in his desk, and picked up a thick vanilla folder labeled, "Project F".

"Project F?" Gajeel asked, raising a studded brow.

"Yes." He set the folder on the desk and opened it. "Project FAIRY TAIL."

The pierced boy's eyes widened. "Fairy Tail Academy?" Dr. Jose's grin grew, and he began to stagger the papers in the folder, revealing several pages of photos and information on the school.

"You've been here for almost a full year, Gajeel. You've become one of the most feared names in the school as only a freshman. You represent the nature of our school- danger."

The praise from the principal made Gajeel smirk. "It's what I do." He said cockily.

"Indeed. Which is why you're perfect for Project Fairy Tail.'' Rummaging through the folder, Dr. Jose picked up a lone photo in color.

"You are aware that Fairy Tail Academy is the top school in Magnolia, correct?" Gajeel grunted in confirmation and disgust. He absolutely despised Fairy Tail Academy. The students in that place had their noses in the sky, and were probably always looking down on darker, less-fancy-pants schools like Phantom Lord. In Gajeel's opinion, they were just a bunch of stuffy nerds and prissy scum that wouldn't last a minute in a fight.

"Doesn't it make you... _irritated_? The students have their chests puffed out in pride, swaggering around like they're the top dogs? They're actually number one in all of Magnolia?! Well, it irritates me, Gajeel. Because those dogs are all bark and no bite."

Gajeel 'gihi'ed in agreement, and bared his sharp canines. He liked where this was going. Dr. Jose continued.

"I think those dogs need some... Obedience lessons." With a sinister chuckle, the principal handed the photo he was holding to Gajeel.

It was a picture of a young girl, with the most electrifying blue hair he had ever seen. It was short and wavy, and held back by a thick orange headband. Her eyes were a shining shade of hazel. A book was in her hand. She donned Fairy Academy's girl's uniform- a yellow vest over a blouse and a striped tie, along with a blue skirt and knee-high socks. She was kinda cute.

Gajeel made a "not bad" face, and turned to look at his principal.

"What's this?" He asked gruffly.

"Behold, Gajeel. The poster girl for innocence. We've been "examining" Fairy Tail Academy for a few months now, and we've picked up the identity of this girl. She's very weak, but extremely loved at the school. She's a genius as well- ranked number 3 in her class."

Gajeel's eyes flashed back to the photo, holding a new contempt for the blue haired girl. She was one of those high-riders who thought they were above everyone. Disgusted, he turned back to the principal.

"She's Fairy Trash. What do ya want me to do?"

If Dr. Jose's smile could have gotten any wider, his face probably would have broken in two.

"Why, Gajeel, I'm so glad you asked... You're going to HURT HER."

"But why should I waste my time beatin' a weakling like her?"

"Think. She's well liked at the school. If we target one of Fairy Tail Academy's most innocent girls, the school will go berserk when they find out we've hurt her. Also, we need to let them know..."

"Know?"

"Know that we SEE EVERYTHING. We are a school of danger. They need to know that we lurk in the shadows just to keep an eye on all of the schools in the light. They need to know that we are to be feared. We should be the number one school in Magnolia, all of our students are trained to FIGHT, for god's sake! And when this plan sends them into a frenzy, we're going to do what we do best and attack them while they're down."

"Playin' dirty?" Gajeel asked with a fanged smirk.

"It's what we excel at."

"Gihi. I like it."

"If you beat the person at the top, you take their place. You know that better than anyone, don't you Gajeel?"

He was referring to how Gajeel had dethroned "the King". Gajeel let out another dark chuckle, remembering the brawl with pleasure. Nobody fucked around with Kurogane Gajeel- the NEW King of Phantom Lord.

"We'll be the top Academy in Magnolia, Gajeel. The others will fear and look up to our power."

Gajeel's hand tightened around his iron pipe, wanting to smash it into something. He was so excited, his grip could have broken it.

''So, when do we start?"

"Tomorrow. The next school day, maybe before school. The target girl usually walks around alone early in the morning, near the library or the gardens." Dr. Jose pulled a large map of the school from the folder on his desk and handed it to Gajeel.

"Right about here,'' he said, pointing to a spot on the map, "is where you'll stage the attack. This is where everyone can find her, at this tree. Once you've beaten her, tie her there."

"Strung up like a piece of meat, eh?"

"Yes. And don't forget... The Fairies need to know who this lovely gift was from..."

"Gihi.''

"Take some paint and tattoo Phantom Lord's symbol on her stomach. That'll enrage those damn Fairies."

This plan was sounding even more fun by the second. Not the part when he attacked the weakling girl- but the raid they'd do on Fairy Tail Academy after. That was going to EPIC.

"Prepare for war, Gajeel."Dr. Jose said, crossing his arms.

"Hmph."

"You're free to go."

With that, Gajeel nodded and turned to the door. But, he stopped, seeing as he was forgetting something.

"What's the girl's name?"

"Levy. Levy McGarden."

* * *

It was early morning. The sun shone warmly over the roofs of Fairy Tail Academy. Birds flew overhead and chirped happily. Today, there were small white butterflies flitting around in the garden. The whole school was illuminated in golden light and happiness.

Who knew that such a dark figure was lurking around in the bushes?

That dark figure was Gajeel. Some of his spiky black mane stuck out of the greenery he was hiding in, but he was mostly unnoticeable.

"Gihi."

He had a bag of paint and some rope in hand, ready to carry out Dr. Jose's orders. His infamous iron pipe was strapped to his back. He observed his surroundings. Nobody was here. All he had to do was lay in wait for this Levy girl to come.

Suddenly, he heard light footsteps crunching on the grass. Gajeel peeked through leaves to get a closer look.

It was, in fact, the target- wild blue hair in a bandana, and carrying a book.

Gajeel smirked. Slowly, he took his black iron pipe off his back. Checking the area for other teens once more, he crouched...

And surged out of the bushes to attack.

* * *

**And that's it for now!**

**Leave some feedback if you want, or favorite, or follow, all the good stuff. I will be back, I promise!**

**I apologize if you thought the beginning was slow. But it's necessary to build the foundation before I go onto the REAL GaLe goodness. **

**It'll come- probably in the next 1 or 2 chapters. Yeah. **

**HEY HEY HEY- HEY HEY HEY- HEY HEY HEY- Everybody getup!**

**Sorry, I've got Blurred Lines stuck in my head.**

**~BLURRED LINESSSSS~**

**Okay this is getting weird. Sorry. But hope you've enjoyed. Bye!**


	2. War and the path to tomorrow

**So, I rewatched the Phantom Lord arc...**

**It was pretty friggin' awesome. Plus, I took some quotes directly from there, and sprinkled it in this chapter for you guys.**

**Anyways, this one will be pretty exciting. The WAR BETWEEN PHANTOMS AND FAIRIES!**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

Little Levy McGarden was Fairy Tail Academy's number three student. Smart, organized, and friendly, she was loved by everyone at the academy. When students didn't know the answer to something, she always did. All of the books she read made her a walking encyclopedia of knowledge.

Levy always arrived to Fairy Tail Academy early, so she could enjoy the sunshine of the morning. Sometimes, she'd go to the library in search of a new book. It was a peaceful time for the blue haired girl.

She walked happily along the dewy grass of the school, listening to birds chirping in trees nearby. _Yep, it didn't get more peaceful than this, she thought._

"Rustle, rustle."

Levy's head turned curiously to the source of the noise. It was probably a rabbit in the bushes over there or something.

"Gihi." Something chuckled.

Alright, that definitely was NOT A RABBIT.

But before Levy could think anymore, a dark figure swept in front of her, charging at light speed. She almost screamed, but something whacked her in the face. She felt strong arms wrap around her as she fell to the ground.

Dizzy and aching, she sagged in the attacker's grip. She had no time to process what was going on, because something hit her again, this time in the stomach!

The aching pain brought tears to her eyes and knocked the wind out of her. She coughed a few times. Breathing heavy, she lifted her head weakly to look at her attacker. Blurry vision from the hits stopped her from seeing a clear figure, but she could make out the shape of a really huge boy, with the most piercing red eyes she had ever seen. They were SCARY AS HELL. The rest of his figure was faded, but she saw those two eyes clear as day. Like crimson rubies, they glinted in the light. She felt like they were burning her, dissolving her into mush.

"S-stop... please..." She mumbled, curled up in pain. But she couldn't say anymore, as a giant stick looking thing struck her in the head hard.

With a whimper, Levy fell totally unconscious, without a clue as to why this guy had beat her up.

She was just walking, for god's sake!

* * *

"Man, how pathetic."

Gajeel stood right in front of the girl he had just attacked. She was lying in a crumpled heap at his feet. The girl was a lot smaller than he had thought- she probably didn't even come up to his chin. Her wild blue hair had fallen out of its hairband during his attack, and was blowing free in the early morning wind.

_Right. Now to tie ya to that tree over there where everyone can see ya, little shrimp, _Gajeel thought. He strapped his iron pipe to his back, and carried the tiny girl to a large oak tree in the center of the school. With the rope he had held earlier, he tied her to the trunk of the tree. The poor girl's head sagged as the ropes coiled around her.

Silently, Gajeel took out a jar of purple paint. Purple was Phantom Lord's school color. Dipping a finger into the jar, he started to trace Phantom Lord's symbol onto her stomach.

He was so caught up in his task that he didn't realize how entirely awkward it was.

Seriously, lifting up a random girl's shirt and painting a symbol on her stomach? What would bystanders think of that?! They'd accuse you of sexual harassment and throw you in the slammer!

Soon, Phantom Lord's snakelike symbol was tattooed in plum purple onto Levy's middle. She hung limply from the tree like a leaf, almost ready to break.

"See if you like this, ya damned Fairies."

And like a panther in the night, he ran off.

* * *

Bottom line- Fairy Tail did NOT fuck around with their friendship. They went hardcore with that shit.

Levy's best friend Lucy was the first to find her unconscious and tied to that tree. The blue haired girl's head was bleeding, and scrapes lined her arms where Gajeel had manhandled her. Screaming, she had alerted everyone in the school. Other students rushed to her side immediately. Even Dr. Makarov, the principal of the school, had come at Lucy's call, hobbling at full speed with his walking stick.

When they saw Levy, bruised and hurt, it was no doubt that they were enraged. Every one of her friends-and she had many-were out for revenge on the person who had done this to their sweet Levy. Furiously, they untied her from the tree and cursed her attacker. She was taken to the infirmary quickly, and when they lifted her shirt to check for injuries...

Phantom Lord's symbol was revealed to them.

Makarov was so infuriated, he snapped his walking cane into splinters.

"No parent can stand idle while the blood of his children is spilled..." He said, eyes flaming with fury and determination.

"They want a fight!" Natsu hollered, baring his sharp teeth.

"We're going to get them back for what they did to Levy-chan!" Lucy said, making a fist.

"If it's a brawl they want, they'll get it!" Levy's companions, Jet and Droy, yelled.

"TO WAR!" Makarov roared.

* * *

Gajeel leaned against the cold brick wall of Phantom Lord High, basking in the light of his success with attacking that blue haired girl.

Or, as much as one could ''bask" in a dark place like Phantom Lord.

"How sorrowful for those Fairies!" Aria cried, glistening tears trickling down his cheeks.

"Pfft. They're a pretty sad bunch, aren't they?" Totomaru scoffed. Juvia said nothing, but just stared blankly at the clouds in the sky.

''Wish I could have gotten in on some of that action, Gajeel," Totomaru said, "I've been itchin' to dish out some Fairy punishment."

''Heh. Jose chose me, he said I was the only one who was strong enough to do it."

"Yeah, well-"

"PHANTOM LORD!" Someone bellowed in the distance.

The posse's heads whipped around to face the noise. They could hear the sound of thumping feet far away. Then, huge masses of teens came into their view. At the front of the giant horde, there was a short old man with white hair that was shaped like the horns of a beast.

"YOU HAVE HURT MY CHILDREN! NOW I SHALL PAY YOU BACK!" The man yelled, wielding a shiny metal walking stick. Howls of anger came from the giant group behind them, and they all charged faster at Phantom Lord.

Snickers and jeers rose from the Phantom Lord students, and they began to run at the incoming teens, ready to lay the smack down on the intruders. Gajeel squinted at them, and saw that they were all wearing a symbol on their shirts.

The Fairy Tail symbol.

"IT'S WAR!" Gajeel roared, swiftly grabbing his iron pipe. "WHY ARE YOU JUST STANDING THERE?! GET UP AND FIGHT, YOU BASTARDS! CREAM THOSE FAIRIES!"

Gajeel surged forward, smiling with savage glee. This was what he had been waiting for. The grand battle between the Fairies and the Phantoms. Who would come out on top?

There was no doubt Jose was watching. _Always watching, _he thought in amusement. Gajeel could picture Dr. Jose standing in front of his window with his hands behind his back, staring down at the fighting students. Well, Gajeel was going to put on a good show for the principal. Jose's plan was working just as he had thought.

He laughed as his iron pipe connected with a Fairy's head. The student was sent crashing back into his friends, who were yelling in rage. The pierced boy just sneered and whacked them away with a big "THWONK!"

Gajeel's crimson eyes were glinting with beastly energy, and he beat many Fairies mercilessly with his dangerous iron weapon. It was like making music to him- he could have sworn that he heard the tune of 'Twinkle-Twinkle Little Star' as he hit 7 teens in a row with his pipe.

He looked around him. Juvia had already pulled out a hose on their asses, and was blowing them back with a thick stream of water. Totomaru seemed to be having just as much fun as Gajeel, swinging a pole like a makeshift sword at the huge group of Fairies. Aria, with his giant hands, was indeed crushing heads like he had promised at the beginning of the year. And Sol- Sol was probably twisting around through the enemy, taunting them.

The iron pipe struck countless other kids, singing a metallic note every time it hit. Suddenly, he heard a voice.

"WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR HURTING LEVY MCGARDEN? COME OUT, YOU DESPICABLE ASSAULTER!" Someone roared. It was Dr. Makarov, principal of Fairy Tail Academy.

Gajeel smirked proudly. "We're always watching you, Fairy Trash! From the shadows! And you can't do anything to stop it!"

Suddenly, Phantom Lord students began to fly in all directions. They were strong, sure, but the absolute rage from the Fairies from having their friend hurt beat them all. Phantom Lord's teens were about to run out, and many lied on the ground, beat up.

"YOU FIGHT US, WE FIGHT RIGHT BACK!" Someone howled, and Gajeel could swear that he saw a flame erupt from the Fairy mass. "YEAH!" Another agreed. "LET'S GIVE YOU A TASTE OF YOUR OWN MEDICINE!"

"WE DO IT FOR OUR FRIENDS!"

"Bah!" Gajeel said, rolling his eyes. 'We do it for our friends'? What was this, Barney the Dinosaur?

"YEAH, I DID IT TO YOUR FRIENDS TOO!" He yelled back, baring his unnaturally sharp teeth.

"WHAT?!"

Phantom Lord students began dispersing around, clearing the path for a short man with a mustache and a scary looking walking stick. Makarov whacked a Phantom kid in the face with it, and shot a menacing glare at Gajeel.

"You did it?" An enraged voice yelled from behind him. He turned around to face another Fairy, with violent pink hair and a scaly white scarf. The boy had canines equally as sharp as Gajeel's, and he displayed them as he gritted his teeth in anger.

"Nobody hurts our friend and gets away with it." Two other boys appeared next to Pink-hair, one wearing a brown hat and the other with a strange fish-tail looking hairstyle. They balled their fists, getting ready for a final brawl.

"Heh. Damn right I did. I beat your little 3rd-place princess, Fairies. You want me?" Gajeel taunted. More Fairy Tail students appeared, crouched in fighting stances. Their eyes burned with hot, intense fury, and they looked like bombs about to explode the place. Gajeel just gripped his iron pipe, and swung it around his head.

"Come get me."

Immediately, he knocked out one of the unlucky Fairies in front of him with his pipe, and did a lighting-fast 360 to hit anyone within a foot of him. The move worked well, but not well enough.

Pink-hair caught the pipe and held it in an iron grip. Gajeel jerked at it, but the Fairy growled and wouldn't let go.

"Let's see if this'll loosen your grip, Pinkie." The pierced boy said.

And with that... He kicked 'Pinkie' in the balls.

_Ouch. With a capital O-U-C-H._

The pink haired boy gasped in pain, and sagged. But he still held onto the pipe, breathing heavily.

"DAMN YOU...'' He choked.

"Oi! Let go, ya cotton candy haired bastard!" Gajeel barked, tugging at his pipe angrily. This dude was still holding on, after a solid kick to the nuts? Damn!

"The... Name's... NATSU..." He huffed, bending over a little. "N...NOW, LUCY!" He hollered into the air.

"LUCCCCCY... KICKKKK!" A voice shrieked. Suddenly, Gajeel felt a hard heel strike him in the middle of his back. The force of the blow made him stumble forward, and temporarily lose hold of his iron pipe. With a clang, it fell on the pavement.

"SHIT!" Gajeel cursed as he reached for it, but Natsu kicked away fast. He had seemingly recovered from the hit earlier, and a new aura of rage burned around him.

"Nice job, Lucy!" He said to a girl with blonde hair. She nodded, and stepped back into the mass of Fairy Tail students.

"Gramps!" Natsu yelled to Makarov. "I'll deal with this guy, you go find Dr. Jose!"

"I'm going to destroy him!" The old man roared, knocking Phantom Lord kids out of the way like they were pinatas. He entered the school and began his search for the principal.

''Oh, you're going to deal with me, eh?" Gajeel mocked, rubbing his well muscled arms. He brought himself up to full height, and towered several inches above Natsu. "Deal with me, the infamous Kurogane Gajeel?"

"Yeah, you bastard. I'm the infamous Salamander Natsu." He retorted. "And you ain't so mighty without your iron pipe."

"Oh, like you've got any more than me."

"I do." Natsu said, glaring.

"And what would that be?"

"The will to protect my friends from jerks like you!"

"SHUT UP!"

Gajeel threw a punch at Natsu, and he blocked it hastily. The pierced boy landed a kick in the leg on him, but Natsu got him right back in the stomach. The two exchanged blows, circling each other like furious dragons in the sky.

They both lunged to push the other over, but both had about the same strength, and were thrown back. Skidding on his, feet, Gajeel panted. This pink haired dude wasn't shabby.

"What'cha gonna do now, _SALAMANDER?_" The pierced boy smirked.

Suddenly, Natsu reached into his pocket. Inside, Gajeel began to panic slightly.

_What if it was a fucking gun? Sure, taunting the dude was amusing, but I don't wanna kick the bucket just yet! _He thought.

Gajeel crouched a little, getting ready to evade any bullets that could be shot at him. But, a gun never came out of the guy's pocket.

It was a single bottle of hot sauce.

"Hot sauce?" Gajeel mocked as his lips split into a grin. "That's what you protect your friends with?" The pierced boy threw his head back and cackled. "GIHI! How pathetic!" He continued to guffaw, not realizing that his mouth was wide open.

With a quick flick of his wrist, Natsu had sent spicy red sauce flying into Gajeel's open maw. He swallowed it through intense fits of laughter.

"GAAAAAAAHHHH!"

That hot sauce burned like hell! It scorched his throat, and Gajeel felt like his tongue was dissolving in his mouth. The pierced boy started to choke violently, trying to get it out. That damn hot sauce blazed like a wildfire, and it began to burn his lips as well.

"SWALLOW THE FIRE, METAL FACE!"

"WHAT'D YOU JUST CALL ME?!"

"ARE YOU DEAF, IRON HEAD?"

"OI, SHUT THE FUCK UP, PINKIE!"

"STEEL-FOR-BRAINS!"

''COTTON CANDY HEAD!"

"PIERCING CITY!"

Gajeel hissed, the pain from the hot sauce becoming worse. He gnashed his sharp teeth, wanting the terrible taste OUT.

"I hope you shit fire for many, many weeks." Natsu growled, and sprayed Gajeel in the eyes with his hot sauce.

"AGHHHH!"

If it was possible, this was MUCH FUCKING WORSE than getting a shot of hot sauce to the mouth. It felt like his eyes were eroding in their sockets- the burn was THAT BAD, for god's sake! Gajeel writhed in agony. He'd probably be BLIND by the time this was over. But he was soon put out of his misery as something whacked him in the head, knocking him unconscious.

And as he lied there like a sorry-ass heap, his iron pipe clattered next to him. Natsu had given him a solid hit in the head with his own weapon.

"COME ON, FAIRY TAIL! AVENGE LEVY!" He howled. The Fairies roared in agreement, and they stormed Phantom High School like an enormous pack of furious lions.

* * *

Needless to say, Dr. Jose had gotten his ass kicked. The ENTIRE 9th grade class had stood up for Levy and beat up both Gajeel and the principal.

_"JOSE!" Makarov howled, pointing his mighty walking stick at the principal of Phantom Lord. Jose smiled evilly, and pulled out a weapon of his own._

_"Your damned Fairies should stop flying in the sky," Jose spat, twirling a small knife, "and bow to the Phantoms.''_

_"Never." He hissed in reply. "Never, EVER, to scum like you!"_

_"You don't deserve to be at the top when your students can't even defend themselves from any attacks."_

_The Fairy principal's eyes glowed in anger._

_"Oh, did you enjoy our little gift, old man?" Dr. Jose smirked, shooting Makarov a condescending glare._

_A vein popped out in Makarov's head, and he gripped the walking stick even tighter. "Old I may be, but I am still strong enough to defend my children!" Jose laughed mockingly. _

_"Still going on about 'friendship' and 'family'. are you?"_

_"That's something this damn school needs."_

_"Nonsense. Our students are ten times stronger than yours because they fight for THEMSELVES."_

_The Fairy principal growled, preparing to charge. "Keep dreaming, Jose."_

_And the old man surged forward, and brought the walking stick down hard on Jose's face, knocking him back. _

_"THIS. WILL. TEACH. YOU. NOT. TO. HARM. MY. CHILDREN!" Makarov roared, punctuating each word with a whack of the weapon. In moments, Jose was reduced to a dizzy, knocked-out mess._

_"Phantom Lord's FINISHED!" He yelled at their principals unmoving body._

_Suddenly, the Fairy Tail students stampeded through the office door, gritting their teeth and waving around weapons stolen from the Phantom Lord students. They saw Dr. Jose lying unconscious on the ground. Cheering, they chanted a single line with their blue-haired friend of their minds. _

_"WE DO IT FOR OUR FRIENDS!"_

They emerged victorious, and Dr. Jose was forced to shut down Phantom High by Magnolia's Board of Education at the end of the school year.

As for Gajeel's posse, they separated over the summer. Totomaru moved away, and Aria ditched high school. Juvia disappeared like a drop of rain into the ocean, and was never heard from again. Sol probably transferred to Blue Pegasus High, where they would appreciate his French accent.

And Gajeel... He was nursing a pretty bad bump on the back of his head for weeks. Bruises from his brawl with Natsu stayed on his tan arms for quite a while. Every time he looked in the mirror and saw his own face, he wanted to take his iron pipe and shatter it. Because every time he looked in the mirror, he saw a face that had LOST.

To Fairy Trash, no less.

During the summer, Gajeel did nothing more than hang around at Phantom Lord.

Alone.

Just thinking.

He always brought his iron pipe with him- it was a piece of the past, after all.

Almost his entire summer was spent at his old high school. But now, it was nothing other than a run down building.

There was also the problem of which high school he would attend for 10th grade. It wasn't like he could ditch- what would he do if he didn't have school?

Strangely, he had spent his summer pondering what he had done with Phantom Lord and Fairy Tail. And Gajeel wasn't really one for 'pondering', but thoughts constantly poked at his brain and he was almost forced to hear them out.

Dr. Jose's plan was to enrage the Fairies by attacking one of their most well-loved students. Knowing that Fairy Tail students had iron bonds between themselves, targeting Levy was the best way to pick a fight. And if Phantom Lord came out victorious, it would show Fairy Tail that they didn't deserve to be the top in Magnolia.

Unfortunately, that was not the case.

And now, Phantom Lord was beaten and out of the school district. The students had split up.

_Your damn plan backfired, Jose. _Gajeel thought bitterly. _Think things through for god's sake._

The pierced boy continued to think for the summer, pondering and pondering.

And over three months, Gajeel had come to a solid conclusion.

Picking a fight with Fairy Tail Academy was definitely, MOST DEFINITELY, a big...

Fat...

Hulking...

MISTAKE.

* * *

Levy was in bed, lying on her back. She stared blankly at the ceiling.

After she had woken from that attack, her friends told her that they had gone to Phantom Lord and beaten the shit out of them. Phantom Lord High School was shut down for good. But she was still so scared. She didn't remember much... Just overwhelming pain and deep, deep red eyes.

They were in her dreams- or more like nightmares. Levy would walk outside sometimes, and randomly flinch whenever anything touched her. The blue haired girl lived in fear of the red eyes' return. To beat her mercilessly again.

Her summer was turned to complete crap. Slowly, over the three months, she WAS able to heal physically and emotionally, but the memory of that brutal ambush still lingered at the back of her mind.

But at least those piercing red eyes were slowly fading away.

It was only a matter of time before they were completely gone.

...Right?

* * *

"Clang!"

Gajeel kicked an empty beer can across the dirt pavement of Phantom Lord High. It landed with a dull clatter a few feet away. Eyes as cold as steel, he began to stare at the building in front of him as he had for the past three months.

Nearly a year ago, he had been so stoked to be going here. The dingy hallways, the countless items of trash littering the ground, the dark teens shuffling around everywhere- that was what he loved most. He loved walking around with his posse behind him, scaring the hell out of other students nearby. He had ruled the school with his iron pipe in hand.

The famous weapon that had made him 'Kurogane Gajeel' was still in his grasp right now.

He looked at the school.

Now, it was a deserted junkheap. The little life it contained had disappeared.

It was a pretty big blunder, deciding to come here. Gajeel had thrown away a good education and friends for danger and trouble.

But he didn't know that.

To him, Phantom Lord would always be his high school. No matter it's state, it would forever be his high school. Sighing, he remembered the fond days of scaring others with his mighty iron pipe.

"YO!" Someone rumbled from behind him.

Gajeel almost jumped, and quickly whipped around to face the source of the noise.

"D-Dr. Makarov!'' He yelped. The old man was draped in a grand white cloak, with Fairy Tail's symbol on the back. Gajeel's eyes narrowed. "Why're you here?"

Makarov closed his wrinkled eyes.

"For a little chat."

Gajeel gritted his teeth. Makarov continued, his white hair blowing in the wind.

"Juvia transferred to Fairy Tail the other day." He said.

"SHE WHAT?!" He stared at the master in disbelief. That water wielding woman had joined FAIRY TAIL?!

The pierced boy's fingers squeezed tight around his iron pipe, irritated at Juvia's betrayal. If it could be called that.

"She's pretty worried about you, you know. She considers you a friend."

"What the hell is she thinking?!" He yelled, almost chucking his weapon into the shadows nearby. The fact that Juvia had been worried about him and thought he was a friend brushed right over his head.

Makarov stayed silent through his little outburst. Then, he finally spoke.

"What are you going to do now?"

"Beats me. I ain't decided."

Both men were quiet, swimming in their own thoughts.

"What were you thinking when you attacked Levy?" the old man asked. "Did you do it for Jose? Did you do it out of hate? Did you do it just for fun?"

"Tch." Was Gajeel's only response.

Makarov stared at him thoughtfully.

"How about you come to Fairy Tail?"

"Huh?"

"Come to Fairy Tail." He repeated.

Gajeel could only stare uncomprehendingly at the old man. He had just gotten a bomb dropped on him.

"But... I hurt one of your students."

"That is something that will never be forgiven." Makarov said severely, his eyes glowing with anger from the memory of that incident. The pierced boy gulped.

"But..." He continued. "If I left a boy in the darkness, I could never forgive myself. You've been walking on the wrong path."

"..." Gajeel's eyes widened.

"I'm not rescuing you. I'm just showing you the road to tomorrow. A new, bright one." And with that, he raised his wrinkled old hand to Gajeel. "Fairy Tail can give you the way."

Moments passed. But finally, Gajeel took Makarov's hand and shook it.

_Looks like..._

_Looks like I'm becoming a Fairy, bitches._

* * *

**Alrighty! **

**Another chapter for you all! I hope you like where this is going. The REAL GaLe goodness will come in the next chapter.**

**The moment where Gajeel joins Fairy Tail is kinda taken from the original in the anime. But this isn't some boring fic where everything that happens in the anime is transferred into the story, but in High School. Juice will come!**

**Leave some feedback, favorite, follow, anything you wish. I strive to please, so I go on being my crazy self. But if you'd like to see anything ****added, I'd be happy to hear it.**

**Bye for now!**


	3. Fairy Territory

**So, I'm back. **

**Commence the REAL Gajeel-Levy interaction now! It's going to get more romantical up in this piece! **

**I do apologize if the last chapter sounded rushed. I was debating whether to prolong it or not, but decided that the foundation was built up more or less and moved on.**

**And if you're wondering, the reason I did not include Gajeel screwing up Fairy Tail's building is because I wanted Jose to seem like he knew what would make the Fairies mad. In this story he, "SEES EVERYTHING", and his goal was to pick a fight with Fairy Tail and come out on top. So, since he "SEES EVERYTHING" He jumped right to something that would make the Fairies want to fight. Having him be sort of a stalker is crucial to another part of the story.**

**And the friendship spam? I tried, man! I did! But I write a lot of comedy, so it's almost impossible for me to write anything inspiring and serious... Sorry about that. I reread it over and over, trying to fix it, but just couldn't think up anything good. **

***Recognition for Ulcaasi because your reviews are solid constructive criticism I salute you!**

**But I really hate it when I have to explain things because that shows I haven't done my job as a writer... DANG IT! But I'll really make an effort to leave no questions asked.**

**Like I normally say, hope you enjoy the chapter, yadda yadda yadda.**

* * *

Gajeel stood in front of the open gates of his new school, red eyes fixed straight on it. The poles of the gate stood tall, like metal soldiers standing by to let him pass.

_I can't believe I'm doing this._

_I must be fuckin' psycho._

The pierced boy rubbed the straps on his backpack anxiously. He was starting to sweat.

_Why did I have to choose here, of all damn places, to go to high school? _He asked himself.

Gajeel was standing outside of none other than Fairy Tail Academy, his previous school's archenemy. He was a mere centimeter away from Fairy Tail territory. Makarov's words to him had just made sense- and now he was here, 'seeing the path to tomorrow'.

But all he saw now was a big fat problem. He regretted ever listening to that old man's speech. Maybe Quattro Cerberus would have been a better idea, with their "punch first and ask questions later" attitude. But he had already, rather STUPIDLY, enrolled himself in Fairy Tail.

This school had been Phantom's demise. Why?

Maybe it was Makarov.

Maybe it was to repent.

Maybe it just felt right...

Gajeel was damn sure it wasn't the last two. The bloody old man had probably put a hex on him or something!

He still thought that Fairies were blubbering fools. And he didn't really regret hurting one of them at all.

Changing to Fairy Tail was for HIM, not for them. For his future, like Makarov said- the path to tomorrow.

But he was still a Phantom at heart. That was the only thing holding him back.

And he wasn't scared of the pissed-off Fairies coming after him- he was Kurogane Gajeel for god's sake! His deathly iron pipe was lodged firmly in his backpack, and it was easily accessible if some battle hungry students came along looking for more revenge. Who cared what those guys thought anyway, because they were nothing!

The thing that bothered him?

It was a DISGRACE. A HUGE disgrace.

_This shit's like dumping your girlfriend, then findin' out she got with another dude better than you. Wait, that's a bad comparison. Damn it all, it's nothin' like that! This is just a pain in the ass!_

After all, the Fairies had beat his ass to the ground- that 'Salamander' guy had done a pretty good number on him. His eyes stung just thinking about the pink-haired guy.

Gajeel hissed at the memory. Him, beaten? Preposterous!

The pierced boy was so lost in thought, he was completely oblivious to the time. Currently it was early in the morning, but it wouldn't be for much longer. He had been standing at the gate to Fairy Tail Academy for about 15 minutes. His striped tie felt too tight around his neck, so he absent-mindedly loosened it. The crisp white button-up shirt he was supposed to wear was untucked and rumpled around his muscular torso, and the top button was undone. Gajeel's wild black hair rand down his back, and blew slightly in the wind. Shoving his large hands into his pockets, he began to think.

_Should I walk in? No! Once I'm in Fairy territory, I'll officially be a member of this damn school! But I can't stand here forever!_

Unaware of how stupid he looked, Gajeel lifted up a foot and let if hover an inch above Fairy Tail's pavement. No matter what Makarov had said to move him, somewhere in the back of his mind, he still thought Fairies were garbage. Stepping on their land as a student was like bathing in toxic waste.

The 'die-hard Phantom' side of Gajeel wanted to spit on the Fairy Tail territory and run to live life out on the streets. But another side of Gajeel, one that had sprouted after listening to Makarov's words, wanted to forget the past and move forward to his new school.

Gajeel's large foot stayed hovering above the ground. He clenched his eyes shut, almost scared of letting his booted foot drop.

_What if some damn alarms go off once I step? Shit, I wish I could ditch this dumbass idea and-_

"WHOA!"

The wind had suddenly blown strong, and pushed his single foot down into Fairy Territory. Gajeel jolted, and almost got a heart attack from fright. But it was just a step into the school's area.

Shit. He had done it.

No alarms beeped at his entrance. No centurions came to drag him off to prison cells. Nothing happened. The only sound in the air was the quiet whistling of the wind.

Like it was laughing or something.

But the wind jeering at him wasn't the main issue here- he had TOUCHED FAIRY GROUND.

"Guess that means no goin' back," He sighed, "here goes nothin'..."

_This whole deal is a mistake! From the moment I stepped on this territory... THIS IS PROBABLY MY WORST MISTAKE EVER! _He thought, gritting his teeth. _But no matter how hard you wish... mistakes will still stay to haunt you for the rest of your damn life!_

Gajeel sighed and slapped himself on the forehead.

And with that, he jumped, fully into Fairy Tail Academy's area, his boots landing on the sandy pavement.

* * *

Gajeel crouched a little, looking for any incoming attackers. He didn't really care what the Fairies did to him, but that didn't mean he'd let them walk all over him either. Keeping his hand close to his backpack, he was ready to whip out his iron pipe and defend himself if he had to.

There were no sounds except quiet birds chirping, and the barely audible fluttering of butterfly wings.

Disgusting.

The place was just so calm and happy and clean. Fairy Tail's building was made of white stone and brick, and towered high and noble. Large, crystal-clear, gleaming windows on the academy reflected light from the sun. Green trees lines the paved pathway to its front doors. Other greenery grew around as well. The school also had a grand clock mounted on its front like Phantom Lord, except this one was fully functioning and made of sparkling marble.

...Disgusting?

It just didn't have the exciting and dark edge that Phantom Lord had. THAT was beauty to Gajeel.

He bitterly remembered his first day at his old school. He had defeated the King on that day, and asserted himself as a new leader- it was a pretty damn good first day.

_Look at me now, _he thought. _Dressed in a stuffy uniform, goin' to a prim school like this. PAH!_

"OOOOOIIII!" Someone howled from behind him. Gajeel jerked- if surprises like this came one more time, he'd probably die of fright. He whipped out his iron pipe.

"METAL FACE!"

"SALAMANDER GUY?!"

Gajeel's blood-red eyes bugged out. It was none other than that pink-haired dude who had sprayed him with hot sauce a summer ago. Except the guy's eyes burned with hotheaded, silly anger, not serious intent to cause pain.

"What're you doing here, Metal-face?!" He yelled, jabbing a finger at Gajeel. The pierced boy scoffed in response. "I ain't got time to deal with your shit, Salamander." He said, trying to brush the idiot off.

"Wait... You're actually coming here?"

"Ain't that what it looks like?"

"How could Makarov let a jerkface like YOU in?! You hurt our friends!"

Gajeel kept staring at the boy, his eyes unwavering. Inside, he didn't really regret hurting that Levy girl. It had been an effort for Phantom Lord, after all.

"If you're here to annoy me, I'm just gonna leave." Gajeel said.

"OI! Bastard, have you forgotten what you did to Levy?!"

Oh. HER.

Suddenly, the petite blue haired girl's face came to mind. The warm hazel eyes, the kind looking smile, the colorful headbands- he remembered it all.

"Eh?" He asked rather dumbly.

"APOLOGIZE FOR HURTING HER, METAL FACE!" Natsu roared. He shoved his hand into his pocket.

"O-oi!" Gajeel began to sweat at the thought of behind hit with another dose of that hot sauce. "Watch what you're doin' there! I'm armed, ya know!"

The 'Salamander' pulled a round bottle of red liquid from his pants. Gulping, Gajeel started to slowly back away. It was like dealing with a guy that had a gun- back away VERY SLOW, then run like hell about 5 seconds later.

But instead of aiming the bottle at Gajeel, the pink haired boy brought it up to his lips and...

Drank.

He swallowed half the bottle before returning it back to his pocket.

Gajeel wasn't scared anymore- he was totally nauseous.

"Dude. WHAT?!" He yelled, looking at 'Salamander' in disgust. "You chugged half of the goddamn bottle! Aren't ya afraid of burnin' a hole in your tongue?!" He just chuckled in response.

"I like hot stuff. Got a problem, Mr. _I-can't-handle-hot-sauce_?" The pink haired boy taunted.

"S-shut up! So what if I don't like spicy shit, Salamander?!"

"It ain't Salamander."

Gajeel stopped his ranting, and took a good look at the pink haired boy. His expression had calmed, and it was more neutral than angry. The fire burning in his eyes had disappeared.

"Eh?" The pierced boy just furrowed his studded brows. What did Pinkie want to tell him now?

"It's Natsu. Natsu Dragneel." He said.

"O-okay..." Gajeel said, looking at him uncertainly. He had just shifted from angry to mocking to calm! What was with this guy?!

"Look," Natsu said, staring straight into Gajeel's red eyes, "you're in Fairy Tail now. I don't know why the old man let you in, but he did it for a reason. We're all family here, you know."

"Tch!" The pierced boy said, rolling his eyes. Not more of THIS SHIT!

"Don't take that lightly, metal-head. When we say 'friend', we MEAN 'friend'. We're all gonna have each other's backs, no matter how much we hate each other. So, now that you're a Fairy, I just want you to keep this in mind."

"What?"

"I own ten bottles of hot sauce from Louisiana, and Louisiana don't fuck around with making hot sauce. You backstab ANY OF US, I take them out and GO WILD ON YOUR ASS." Natsu growled. It was enough to make Gajeel sweatdrop- if he couldn't handle regular sauce, how could he handle sauce from LOUISIANA?

But, Gajeel wanted to keep up a manly image. So, he just bared his sharp teeth and growled back.

"You got worse things to worry about, SALAMANDER." He growled back. "I ain't here to cause a fight."

"I hope not." Natsu stared at him hard, still judging on whether letting him stay at Fairy Tail Academy was a good idea or not. He crossed his arms.

"Prove it. Apologize to Levy. But I bet you can't do it- it takes someone without a heart to attack a girl like her."

"Maybe I will." Gajeel said, glaring back. Now this guy was challenging him?

"Nu-uh. You'll probably chicken out."

"I CAN do it, Salamander, you just watch me!"

''Fine. But I still think that you don't have the heart capacity to actually FEEL BAD for hurting an innocent girl."

"I'M GONNA DO IT, SO SHUT UP!"

Silence followed between the two young men. Now Gajeel was mad. This punk was accusing him of being some kind of robot without feelings or something? Gajeel would show him! He'd march right up to that girl and apologize, no sweat.

"She's probably around the outside of the library right now. Go find her, and MAYBE you can prove to us that we can trust you."

"TCH!"

The pierced boy gritted his teeth in irritation. For some reason, he actually wanted to be trusted at this school. His past self might not have cared and just walked away, but right now? Right now, he wanted to SHOW Natsu that he was an ally.

Strange.

"I'm going, Salamander! Watch!" He growled, beginning to walk towards the library. He almost thought he saw a smile on the pink haired boy's lips.

''You go do that!" Natsu yelled to Gajeel's fading figure. "BUT WAIT! ONE MORE THING!"

"Huh?!"

"Stop calling me Salamander, Gajeel!" He yelled.

The way Natsu had said his name just sounded so familiar. Like they had both been friends for life... It was kind of nice. The sound of his own name being spoken warmly by someone else just felt right. At Phantom Lord, people had called him 'Kurogane' and that only. It was a fierce sounding name, but it wasn't really his. Having himself called by his real name was good. But Gajeel shoved these sissy feelings out of his mind, and hollered back, a fanged smirk playing on his lips.

"SUUUURE, SALAMANDER!"

* * *

Levy shivered as light wind blew at her bare arms.

It was early in the morning, and she was walking circles around Fairy Tail's library, reading a book. The story was exciting, action packed, and had snippets of romance woven into it. Her novel's hard, glossy cover shone in the sun, and it had the words "MAXIMUM RIDE" printed onto it.

The six main characters of the book were fending off some hybrid wolf-men, side by side. Each punch, each kick, each scream of anger TOGETHER. Oh, and did she mention that these 6 main characters were genetically engineered DNA hybrid kids with WINGS sprouting out of their backs?

Eyes sparkling, Levy turned a page. She was straight-up inhaling this story right now.

Then, the sound of heavy boots squashing grass filled the early morning air. The blue haired girl's ears perked up, but she didn't look up from her book. It was getting too exciting, how could she?

But suddenly, something walked up. She could smell a masculine scent right in front of her.

Levy's hazel eyes traveled up the figure. It was a guy, she assumed, by the size of his feet. He was wearing studded navy boots- odd. The person donned Fairy Tail's uniform, gray slacks and a white dress shirt and striped tie. She noticed that the guy had the top buttons of his shirt unbuttoned, and revealed just a little of his well-muscled chest. Reddening, her eyes continued on their path. The boy's chin was pierced with two shining studs, one right below his cracked lips. Sets of piercings decorated his nose as well. Finally, her eyes met his own.

They were blood-red.

She jolted, her body turning an unpleasant mix of cold and burning hot. Levy's terrible memories of being beat crashed down on her again, after 3 long months of trying to forget. Shivering, she dropped her book.

They were THOSE EYES.

Those eyes associated with pain and fear.

Levy's mind was buzzing in shock, and her back felt like it was on fire. The tips of her fingers turned cold. She felt like the workers in the control panel of her body were shutting all systems OFF.

_Mayday! System crash!_

_All mechanisms down!_

_Preparing for mind shutdown!_

_Mayday! Mayday! Houston, do you copy?!_

Whoops. It was already too late.

"Oi." He rumbled, trying to get her attention. But she was very pointedly looking away from him.

Levy began to back away from Gajeel, her heart racing at bullet speed. Quickly, she turned around, and ran away.

"HEY!" He yelled after her. But having the shit scared out of you can make you run like hell. The blue haired girl was gone.

_Dammit, should I go after her? _Gajeel asked himself. _I gotta do it!_

Quickly, he started to run- but he stepped on something on the floor mid-pace, crushing it under his boot.

"SHIT!" he swore, almost tripping. He looked at the item.

"...Maximum Ride?"

Gajeel raised a studded eyebrow, and picked the thing off the floor. It was a shiny hardcover book with its title printed in simple white letters on the cover. This book was probably what Levy was reading before he had appeared.

_...Well..._

_Guess I should get this back to her._

* * *

Soon, the bell rang, signifying the beginning of class. Fairy Tail's bell, unlike Phantom's electrical one, let out a clean, pure peal when struck on the inside. It was almost cleansing, the chime of the bell. Like its sound waves washed away the dirt from the past, and led the path to something new.

It just sounded like ringing in his ears to Gajeel.

He leisurely strolled to his first-period classroom, forgetting that he was sort of a criminal at this school.

"YOU!" Two boys leapt up from their seats and charged at Gajeel. One had violent orange hair pulled back in a ponytail, and the other's black hair drooped above his head like the tail on a fish. The two tried to hit Gajeel with flying punches, but he blocked them both with his palms.

"YOU'RE THE ONE WHO HURT LEVY-CHAN!" Fishtail yelled.

Gajeel didn't have anything to say to that. He almost wanted to snarl back, "Yeah, and you can't do shit to change it!"

There was that Phantom Lord part of him that still lingered- it stopped him from feeling any remorse or guilt from attacking that blue haired girl. That had attack had been for his badass school's rise to the top.

The pierced boy looked down at them coldly. He could, he was like THREE INCHES taller than them both. But his lips remained still. He just shoved past the two and sat at an empty desk away from everyone. Fairies in seats across the room whispered and glared at him.

_They're scared of me?_

_No. Angry at me._

Gajeel turned his head towards the window. He'd have to get used to actually studying and doing work now. At Phantom Lord, the education system was shit- you basically sat around smoking all day, or did whatever the hell you wanted while the "teacher" turned a blind eye.

He'd also have to get used to the annoying sun shining in his eyes whenever he looked at the whiteboard or at his work. That sucked.

Plus, Gajeel would have to restrain himself to not strangle every Fairy in this stupid Academy. They were all prissy high-riding kids, thinking they were the "top academy in Magnolia". The glared from them, he could handle. But just seeing them going about their classy top-notch lives like they were the best made him want to whip out his iron pipe and play Fairy golf.

Sighing, Gajeel closed his eyes.

_Let them be. I don't care._

* * *

**And that is it for now!**

**FFF, maybe? **

**It's for Favorite, Follow, and Feedback. Choose any you wish!**

**And if you have any suggestions/questions for the story, don't wait to ask me. **

**Bye! Take care!**


	4. Chasing Happiness

**So, I rewatched a little Fairy Tail.**

**The GaLe moments, mostly. Can we say, "KYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!"?**

**It's just so fluffy! And I was like 'ermagherd the feels' the entire time, I swear. Especially that part where they're dancing?! **

**FANGIRL SCREAM!**

**But enough about my crazy GaLe shenanigans. A new chapter of Gajeel's mistake-making self is up! Enjoy!**

* * *

The school day passed fast. Soon, it was afternoon and time to go home. Gajeel walked through the empty Fairy Academy with his hands stuffed in his pockets, going over his first day at his new school.

He ran into that Salamander again.

That short blue haired chick ran away from him when he tried to apologize to her, and dropped her book. He had the novel in his possession now.

Those two guys who had tried to punch him in class had been staring daggers his way the entire day. But he didn't really care what they thought of him.

The rest of the school day had gone fairly normal. Fairies looked like they wanted to kill him, but they knew he was going to their school for a reason. Everyone knew- Makarov had invited him. Why else would he have enrolled? Dr. Makarov trusted him enough to let him transfer to Fairy Tail. But the other students still gave him angry stares when he walked past. Yet, as he strode down the brightly lit halls of the school, his long black hair swished behind him nonchalantly and his red eyes glared back. He didn't really give a shit.

He was just passing by Dr. Makarov's office when he heard voices coming from the door. Normally, he would have brushed it off as nothing and walked past. But he heard something rather intriguing.

"...His name is Gajeel."

Gajeel's ears perked up. He squinted at the door and saw two figures talking to each other behind it. Both figures were rather short- the shorter one was probably Dr. Makarov.

"I want you to show him around. Be his guide, he's new." Dr. Makarov rumbled to the figure beside him. "He's rough around the edges, but I know your kindness can let him open up to Fairy Tail."

Then, a soft voice spoke. It was the voice of a girl, who was the other figure in the office.

"I understand, Dr. Makarov... but I'm still a little uncomfortable around him... Maybe he'll think I'm annoying..." She said. The girl sounded a bit... broken. Gajeel walked up to the door and strained to hear the conversation.

"If you're not willing to do it, I won't force you." The principal continued. "But I think once he is accepted by you, he will be accepted by everyone. All of your classmates love you, the girl who will help you whenever you need it. The girl who can inspire, and teach, and possibly holds more imagination than all the books in the world." Gajeel could almost feel her smile radiating from inside. "Why not share it with a young man who could use a little... love?"

The pierced boy almost snorted. He didn't need LOVE! What, did the principal think he was some kind of pansy that needed to have attention every minute of the day? Gajeel was fine on his own! He PREFERRED solitude! Just as he was about to saunter away in indignation, the girl in Dr. Makarov's office replied.

"He scares me."

Gajeel stood stone-still, his studded ear pressed against the door. He was drinking in every word the two exchanged.

She was scared of him...?

For some reason, that made him feel a little cold on the inside. It was a feeling in the pit of his stomach, like it was sinking.

It was guilt.

After only a day at Fairy Tail, he had already experienced GUILT.

What kind of pansy would he be at the end of the year?

Maybe hearing his own name spoken fondly for once had melted the heart he thought was pure titanium. Maybe the Fairies were ALL putting spells on him. Maybe that hit on the back of the head last summer had taken away a part of his identity.

But in the end it didn't matter.

Gajeel was feeling guilty. Just a smidge, but enough to make his heart sink and look down at the ground.

Suddenly, something snapped the pierced boy out of his thoughts- the girl spoke again.

"I have to be honest with you, Dr. Makarov. You showed me a new world- Fairy Tail High, with a library chock full of books I could devour by the day. It was a utopia for a bookworm like me. Fairy Tail was like my bubble of security. Anytime I was having trouble at home, with family..."

The pierced boy listened intently. Perhaps there was some history here?

"If I came here, I'd be greeted with warm smiles from all the teachers and staff. Most of all, a kind pat on the back from the librarian. But now, I kind of feel like that bubble has been popped. I suddenly feel exposed with him around. Like he's in a place he shouldn't be. He's just so strong, so deadly, savage-looking, almost. I thought I could forget, over the summer, maybe, what he did to me... But the pain and shock..."

The girl trailed off. Now, Gajeel was quite aware of who was behind the door.

Levy McGarden.

"I understand, Levy." Dr. Makarov said.

"I'm sorry to let you down, Dr. Makarov." Levy said, swallowing. If she had sounded broken before, now she sounded completely wrecked.

"It's alright. It's okay." The old principal patted her arm like an old grandfather would to his crying granddaughter.

Silence followed.

Finally, the blue haired girl spoke.

"No." Levy said, her voice hardening. "I'm weak and I barely reach five feet tall. But that doesn't stop me from being strong on the inside. Maybe Gajeel does need some love, after all. And I'll give it to him."

She inhaled deeply, as if hardening herself and preparing for something big.

"Kindness is like a good story. You have to pass it on or it'll disappear completely."

Dr. Makarov chuckled. "Are you sure?"

"Yes. If you trust him, I will too. That's what family's all about, isn't it? Trust."

''That's correct." The old principal cleared his throat and continued. "I'm proud of you, Levy. It was a mature decision. And who knows? He might be a very interesting character under that hard shell he wears all the time. If he's a nut, you're the nutcracker." Levy giggled.

"I can see it." Dr. Makarov said. Gajeel could see only the shadows of the two, but could tell that the man was smiling warmly. "There's good in everyone."

"Yes." Levy replied.

Gajeel just leaned there, his pierced ear pressed up against the door listening. He was thinking.

_Good in everyone..._

He was swimming in a thunderstorm of his own thoughts, oblivious to whatever sounded around him.

"You're free to go, Levy. See you tomorrow."

"Goodbye, Dr. Makarov. I promise, I'll find a way to make him warm up."

He didn't hear that.

Gajeel was still thinking about his life when the door suddenly opened and whacked him in the face.

"OW!"

Quickly, he stumbled away from the door and rubbed his forehead. Ow. Looking up, he saw Levy gasp.

The two just stared at each other for a moment, her hazel eyes flickering with fear and his red ones with embarrassment. He had been caught eavesdropping.

"...Sup?"

Levy inhaled sharply, and began to slowly back away. She put her right foot behind her left foot, preparing to break into a full run, when Gajeel caught her wrist and held her.

"Oi, don't run away... I, um, got somethin' of yours-"

"L-let me go!" She stuttered quickly, jerking on her hand. His grip remained strong. "Just wait, dammit!" He growled. With his fingers still wrapped around Levy's wrist, Gajeel shrugged his backpack off and dug through it. He had to return her book.

"Here."

He pulled the book out and held it out to her. Looking uncertain and afraid, the blue haired girl took the book.

"Now, I got somethin' to tell ya-"

But before he could even finish his sentence, Levy bolted away. Her curly, electric-blue hair flew out behind her as she ran, and her already small figure faded into the distance. The girl was gone.

"Goddammit." Gajeel growled under his breath, shaking his head. She had fled from him AGAIN. He just wanted to give her the book, and she took it and ran away.

He sighed.

"Gajeel." Someone rumbled from behind him. Whipping around, he found it was none other than Dr. Makarov himself. Gajeel said nothing- he just stared at his old, grandfatherly principal.

"Whaddya want?" He finally grumbled.

"Gajeel, let me give you some advice."

"I don't need advi-"

"In this world, there are those who prefer solitude. But nobody can withstand it."

Silence.

"What I say is true." Dr. Makarov said, closing his eyes. Gajeel didn't respond at all. The old principal nodded to him, and went back into his office.

_Nobody can withstand it..._

Absent-mindedly, Gajeel turned and began to go as Gajeel walked away from Fairy Tail Academy, he did not notice the tip of a plum purple hat sticking out of the bushes nearby.

* * *

Late at night, Gajeel laid in bed, awake.

Thinking.

_Did I like my first day at Fairy Tail?_

_Not really._

He remembered the glares and the whispering as he walked past all the Fairy Tail students. Sure, he looked like he couldn't care less what they thought, but maybe he did.

Otherwise, he wouldn't have felt that tiny bit of guilt when Levy had said she was scared of him.

_"There are those in this world who prefer solitude. But nobody can withstand it."_

Being alone was something he thought he wanted. At Phantom Lord, he was always alone. Even with Aria, Juvia, Sol, and Totomaru, he still felt like they were miles away and he was by himself. Because they weren't his friends, they were lifeless chunks of stone that he stood by to make himself look stronger. So they didn't even count as company, and he really WAS alone. And while alone, was he happy?

_Sometimes... but not really. _

_Maybe I should give Fairy Tail a try._

_I ain't got anywhere else to go._

Once the Fairies accepted him, he could be happy. He could have real friends, who could hang around him and actually like his company. And talk. And fight.

_I don't need that shit. _

_Oh, who the hell am I kiddin'. I ain't the tin man, I got a heart. And it's okay to want friends, isn't it? Because I'm human._

Gajeel let out an agitated sigh. He really DID want to have some good buddies. They could screw around together, and brawl for fun. Maybe they could holler at hot chicks four years older than them and get rejected all at the same time. Anything was fun when you did it with friends.

And at Fairy Tail, EVERYONE was friends with each other. How would it feel to be in a school where everyone loved you, and had your back?

Phantom didn't have that.

How would it feel to actually be liked?

Gajeel knew someone that probably experienced that feeling every day.

Levy McGarden.

_I want some friends after all, _he thought to himself.

_I guess that starts with making friends with Levy._

* * *

The next day, Gajeel walked into school with his rose-red eyes shining. Today was the day he would really become part of Fairy Tail. He knew he wanted to- then he could be happy. Have friends. Have fun. Not feel like he was sitting by himself in the middle of a deserted parking lot every day. His iron pipe knocked against the walls of his backpack as he strolled through the gates of the academy, bouncing along with his steps. The sun beamed down in the courtyard of the school, warming the area and illuminating it in soft golden light.

"OOIII! GAJEEL!" Someone howled. Suddenly, something hit him in the shoulder, knocking him sideways a little.

"What the fu- SALAMANDER!"

Indeed, it was the hot-headed, pink haired, sauce guzzling Salamander Natsu who had punched him. HIs white scarf blew out from behind him, and his lips were split into a cheeky grin.

''Hehe! Let's go, Gajeel! You and me!" Natsu yelled, kicking straight at Gajeel's face. Hastily, the pierced boy dodged it and sent his own flying punch back.

"You wanna fight, Salamander?" Gajeel said, baring a fanged smile. Natsu laughed back and charged. The two collided and began wrestling on the floor, pummeling each other and laughing violently.

''You fight like a girl!"

"Really? I'd hate to hear what YOU fight like!"

"Idiot!"

"Dumbass!"

"Hehe!"

"Gihi!"

They both flew apart, grinning and panting heavily. Gajeel let out a bark of laughter, strong and loud. It was his first real laugh in a long time. Not condescending or mocking.

Real. Full of joy and happiness.

Just like he wanted.

Natsu looked happy too, and his wide smile shone brightly at Gajeel. Getting up, he chuckled.

"Hey Gajeel."

"What?" The pierced boy tried to wipe his smile off his face so Natsu wouldn't see. He looked away, pretending to be irritated.

"I wanna introduce you to some other guys, come on."

* * *

_OH, who am I kidding?_

_I can't do it._

Levy was hiding behind a pillar in Fairy Academy's courtyard, watching two boys brawl on the ground together. They were howling with mirth and it looked like they were having an awful amount of fun.

One of those boys was Gajeel.

Yesterday, Levy said that she could be Gajeel's guide and friend. But how could she do that if she couldn't even approach him? She could only watch him from the shadows like some weird stalker.

But she couldn't really help it. He was so tall, and huge, and powerful. Overwhelming.

_Scary._

_No, Levy, you have to. You promised Dr. Makarov, remember? It's for him. I'm not doing this for that guy who beat me and tied me to a tree, I'm doing it for my principal. _

_Yeah. _

_Dr. Makarov's counting on me. I can't let him down. He wanted Gajeel here, and wants to make him part of our family. And I have to remember all that Dr. Makarov's done for me... So, what Dr. Makarov wants is what I want!_

_I'm going in!_

Levy needed to keep her eyes on the ground. If her eyes met Gajeel's piercing red ones full of bad memories and terror, it would be GAME OVER. She'd run away like she had the past two times.

He had heard her conversation with Dr. Makarov, and she said she was scared of him. He knew everything! He heard everything! And even after hearing all of that, Gajeel was still kind enough to return one of her books to her. How did she thank him? By running away!

The blue haired girl almost slapped herself in the face for that one. It made her want to cringe every time she thought about it.

_No, it's okay. I'll just apologize to him and things will be fine. Everything will be fine._

Gulping, she looked to the courtyard.

GAJEEL WAS NOT THERE ANYMORE.

* * *

"OOOIIIIIII! GRAY, YOU BASTARD!" Natsu roared. "C'MERE!"

"What is it, you hotheaded idiot?!" Someone shouted back.

"Get your frozen ass over here!"

Much grumbling followed, and soon, a boy showed up. He was of average height, and wore only a pair of navy shorts. A chain necklace dangled from his neck, and he had a head full of shaggy blue-black hair.

"Eh? It's you, that metal-faced guy who hurt one of our friends!" The boy growled, a vein popping up in his forehead.

"Easy, Gray, Makarov invited him. Don't know why, though- look at this guy, PFFT!" Natsu laughed, slapping Gajeel on the back. "Seriously, Natsu?!" The dark-haired boy asked incredulously. His obsidian eyes flicked to Gajeel. He got a cold red stare in return.

"A'iight. I ain't here to argue. But if you lay a finger on any of us again, I'll make sure you get full Fairy wrath. Comprende?" Gajeel grunted and shrugged.

The three boys smirked at each other, already adopting Gajeel into their circle of friends. And although the rough, tough, pierced boy would never admit it, it felt good.

Friendship.

"YOU, THE UNMANLY ONE!" A deep voice barked from behind him. Gajeel swiveled around to face the noise.

He stood looking up at an immensely tall boy with tan skin and spiky white hair. An impressive scar extended from the bottom of his right eye to his ear. The dude had a dark look on his face, and his lips were split into a threatening scowl. Gajeel already knew what was going to come next.

"DO YOU KNOW THAT IT IS NOT MANLY TO BEAT THOSE WHO HAVE DONE NOTHING TO YOU?!" He boomed. "YOU, WHO HAS DAMAGED LEVY MCGARDEN'S BODY AND SOUL!"

''I ain't here to cause a fight. Makarov invited me, even." Gajeel said, holding his hands up. He looked to his newfound buddies.

"Elfman, it's cool," Natsu said, "He's with us."

Gajeel felt like his heart was going to explode with happiness.

He'd never show it, of course.

The large boy backed off, and stared uncertainly at Gajeel. "You have yet to prove yourself as a man, but if you do anything unmanly to us-"

"Then you'll have my ass. I get it." The pierced boy said, smirking. A matching smirk formed on the large boy's face, and he nodded.

"That is correct." He said. Holding out a huge, rough hand, the boy introduced himself. "The name's Elfman. I am a MAN!"

"Sure hope so." Said Gajeel, slapping it.

Gajeel took a closer look at Elfman. He was carrying something quite large on his back.

"Dude, what's that?"

"Oh, this?" Elfman took it off. "It's my sister's guitar. I'm carrying it for her because I AM A MAN!" He yelled, doing a fist pump.

A little spark popped up in Gajeel's eyes. He knew how to play the guitar, and he goddamn LOVED IT.

"Can I play it?"

"I'm sure Nee-san wouldn't mind. She's kind to everyone. SHE IS A MAN!"

Gajeel sweatdropped a little. It wasn't possible to call a man 'sister' but Elman probably had some obsession with referring to people as men. "Sweet." he said, holding his hand out. Elfman handed the guitar case to him, and he opened it carefully.

"WOW..." Natsu and Gray leaned over Gajeel's shoulder, admiring the guitar. It was pure white, with gleaming silver strings. The guitar was electric.

Natsu chuckled. "Didn't know you could play, man. I sing a little myself."

"You sound like a cat dying in a fire." Gray replied.

"Oh yeah?! Well your drum playing sounds like... Sounds like a cat being frozen to death!"

"Idiot, that's not even possible!"

"Yeah it is, you ice-eating bastard!"

"Hot-sauce guzzling dumbass!"

Gajeel rolled his red eyes as the two continued to bicker. He turned to Elfman. "Do they always do this shit?"

"Yes, they constantly argue manly arguments. But they're really the best of friends." The large boy put a finger on his chin. "They're almost like manly brothers."

Shrugging, Gajeel turned back to the guitar. It was beautiful, almost as beautiful as his dreaded iron pipe. The instrument shone in the early morning sun, and the pierced boy handled it with the utmost care. Taking it out of the case, he slung the strap around his torso.

And then, he started to play.

"In this world, where ya look like a dumbass for doin' what's right..." He strummed a dramatic chord. "...You always looked like a dumbass, ya know?"

The boy cleared his throat, preparing to go into full rock band guitarist mode. Natsu, Gray, and Elfman watched him closely, waiting for the big moment.

''COLORFUL, COLORFUL... SHOOBY DO BOP!" Gajeel screeched, throwing a rock hand in the air. "TREMBLE WITH LOVE, STEEL GRAY METALLIC!"

If it were humanly possible, Natsu, Gray, and Elfman would have turned to stone right there.

His singing was EAR SHATTERINGLY HORRIBLE. It was more like screaming. But, judging by Gajeel's appearance, he probably listened to heavy metal screeching all the time. His guitar playing wasn't bad, though- it was fast and obviously skilled.

"That's shit!" Gray yelled. "Your singing sucks worse than Natsu's!"

"What'd ya say, ya shirtless asshole?!" Gajeel roared, not bothering to stop playing the guitar. "Ya think ya can do better?"

"Anything's better than that!" Natsu sputtered in laughter. Elfman chuckled as well, a beastly grin forming on his lips.

"You wanna go?!"

"Let's go!"

"A manly battle!"

"You guys are idiots!"

Gajeel took off the guitar and put it back in its case. He shut the lid gently, and turned to his three new "friends".

"HERE I FUCKIN' COME, BITCHES!"

Smirking, the four boys jumped at each other.

* * *

Gajeel was sitting in class, scowling like he had yesterday. Yet, on the inside, he was happy.

Very happy.

Brawling with Natsu, Gray, and Elfman had been fun. And it wasn't rotten, mischief-y fun, it was pure fun that you got from hanging out with friends.

He liked that kind of fun.

Gajeel wanted more than ever to be a part of Fairy Tail.

And Gajeel knew, that after many terrible decisions in his life, this one was not a mistake.

* * *

Levy shut her locker. It was time to go home. Hefting her backpack, she began to go over the events of the day.

She had been too scared to approach Gajeel, and never got the chance to talk to him/ show him other parts of the school like she had promised Makarov.

Jet and Droy, her best friends, seemed seething mad over Gajeel. STILL. It was touching to see how much they cared, yet a little annoying. It wasn't like she was completely defenseless...

Okay, maybe she was.

But that didn't matter. The two didn't need to worry about her so much.

Sighing, Levy walked down the clean white hallways of the academy towards the door. Maybe she'd go check out a new book or something. Or visit Lucy at her own locker.

"Hey, Levy." Someone said from behind her. She stopped walking and turned around.

Behind her was Laxus, the school's most popular boy. He was the grandson of Dr. Makarov, and a role model to a lot of underclassmen at the academy. Levy and Laxus had partnered up for a big project last year, and the two made a kick-ass presentation that had gotten them a solid A+. They worked surprisingly well together, with Levy as the inspiration and Laxus as the dream-chaser. Both were top students, and they became friends.

"Oh, hi, Laxus.'' Levy replied. She smiled at him, and he grinned down at her.

"Off to the library, huh?"

"Probably."

"That's what I thought." He chuckled. "Mind if I go with you? I'm bored."

"Sure, let's go."

Laxus's loud steps echoed over Levy's petite ones as the two walked together. They talked happily, enjoying each other's company.

Then, a figure with long black hair and piercings shut his locker, about ten feet away from Levy and Laxus.

Gajeel.

Levy froze.

_This is my chance! I should go up and talk to him!_

She tried lifting a foot to walk, but it wouldn't move. She really WAS frozen.

_N-no... I'm too scared, aren't I? But I have to! I promised Dr. Makarov I would! That was stupid..._

Laxus raised a blonde brow at Levy's fearful expression. He turned to see what she was looking at.

It was a tall boy, his height easily over six feet. But he wasn't taller than Laxus. The boy was built like an ox, and wild black hair ran down his back.

Suddenly, he knew who it was. He knew why Levy was staring at him like he was about to eat her. He knew everything.

He was Gajeel, the guy who had hurt Levy and tied her to a tree.

Laxus hadn't been at the war between the Fairies at the Phantoms, so he had never seen this so-called 'Gajeel'. But it didn't matter what he looked like- if he had hurt Levy, he'd have to pay. The blonde haired boy growled as he saw Gajeel leave.

Turning back to Levy with concern-filled eyes, he saw that she was... quivering. Oh so slightly, but enough for Laxus to see. She was afraid and he knew it. He looked back at Gajeel's fading form.

_An_ _eye for an eye._

* * *

**ALLLLLLRIGHT!**

**This chapter took quite a while to get out, since I'm still struggling with getting Gajeel to realize he likes Fairy Tail, and not make him seem OOC... It's difficult, but I know I'll get there!**

**Just keep swimmin', just keep swimmin'...**

**I love Ellen Degeneres's voice. It's funny.**

**AHEM! Anyway, thank you for reading. Leave some feedback, favorite, follow, the good stuff. See you next time!**


	5. Rain brings surprises

**So, yesterday was my first day going on a GIANT JOURNEY...**

**Into the world of TUMBLR.**

**Unsuspectingly, I typed GaLe into the search bar.**

**MISTAKE. BIIIIG MISTAKE. Right there. High school Gajeel Redfox ain't got nothing on the mistake I made just then. BAM! **

**Fanart, fanfics, friggin hot pics of Kurogane, BAM! BAM! BAM! I'm dead now! **

**Lemme tell you one thing- they have some DAMN GOOD artists on Tumblr. **

**I swear, I would have imploded from all the feels bubbling inside me. But instead of self-destructing over a somewhat smutty fanart involving Gajeel and Levy, I decided to write another chapter of Mistakes Were Made to calm myself.**

**Anyways, BAM! Enjoy!**

* * *

Laxus glid through the halls of Fairy Academy like a golden eagle, pursuing the quickly disappearing Gajeel Redfox. He was going to pay for hurting one of his friends.

_Not just any friend. _

_He beat Levy. _

_Unacceptable._

_Scum like him should be erased from this school._

_What the hell was Gramps thinking?_

_Letting in a monster like him?_

_Fuck that. I'll tame that beast on my own._

News of Levy being beat hadn't reached any officials yet, but it bubbled around in the student community. From Crime Sorciere to Quattro Cerberus- the teens had heard it all. "Some jackass had jumped a puny little blue head and tied her to a tree" was what everyone knew. Laxus had heard it straight from a dude at Sabertooth High.

The reason he hadn't been at the war between the Fairies and Phantoms was because he was visiting another school.

Laxus had been sent by his grandfather as a Fairy Tail representative, along with other well-known teens at the academy. They had gone to the rank-two school in the city- Sabertooth High.

_And do you know what they fucking did? _Laxus asked himself angrily.

_They laughed._

_The Sabertooth bastards had the guts to laugh at Fairy Tail. Saying it wasn't shit, and its students spent too much time forming bonds when it could be becoming better._

"Fairy Tail's nothing," Laxus heard someone say, ''nothing to worry about. We'll surpass them in no time.''

If the other Fairy representatives hadn't been with him, he would have torn that guy limb from limb.

_This Gajeel dude's the entire reason for this bullshit. And he needs to wake the fuck up. _

Stony, storm-gray eyes flicked from wall to wall. Nobody was around to save Gajeel- not like they would, anyway. The Fairies hated that pierced bastard, didn't they? No matter how hard Gramps tried, Gajeel would never be a true part of Fairy Tail. Everyone would remember how he had scarred one of the most innocent girls in the academy. In the war between the Fairies and Phantoms, he had hurt many others with his iron pipe as well. The students had said, the entire time, his pierced face was filled with a smile.

Nobody would forget.

Nobody could.

Laxus followed Gajeel outside to the school's empty courtyard. The sun was gone, hiding behind masses of gray clouds. The blonde boy lowered his head and growled.

"Oi. You. With the piercings and the dumb expression."

* * *

Gajeel Redfox was just walking.

Just walking home, on his second day of school. He was in a good mood- today had been one of the happiest days he ever had.

Why?

Because he hung out with friends.

Real ones.

And it felt good.

He tried to wipe a smile off his face to remain dark and mysterious to everyone, but he just couldn't. So, a lone fang poked from his mouth as his lips slowly quirked up into a grin. Gajeel let it form on his face.

"Gihi." He laughed subconsciously.

"Oi. You. With the piercings and the dumb expression." Someone rumbled from behind him. It was a voice he never heard before. Turning, he faced the speaker.

It was a tall, muscular boy, even more so than himself. He had short blonde hair and a lightning shaped scar slashing through his right eye. He had his massive hands stuck into his pockets, and he glared at Gajeel threateningly. The dude had a certain aura about him- one that commanded.

But Gajeel couldn't be impressed- clearly Blondie was challenging him. His words were aggressive enough. The pierced boy said nothing, only narrowed his eyes and slowly lowered his head.

A fighting stance.

_WAIT._

_No._

_I ain't here to fight, remember?_

_I wanna be a part of this school._

_That sure as hell won't happen if I attack another student._

_So... I won't fight. _

Instead of crouching in a pre-brawl position, Gajeel stood casually, putting his hands in his pockets. But he definitely didn't come across as weak or shy, because his blood-red eyes were boring into Blondie's own stony ones. Gajeel's wild mane of raven black hair blew softly in the afternoon wind. The skies were graying and dark- not a good sign.

"Whaddya want?"

"Do you even know what you've done?"

Oh no. Not this.

"I was gonna apologize to her, okay? But she kept runnin' away from me!"

"SILENCE!" The blonde haired boy boomed. "Scum like you should shut the fuck up!"

Suddenly, the huge guy took his hands out of his pockets and surged forward. All Gajeel saw was a little lightning flashing in the distance before he was punched in the face.

"UGH!"

His head whipped back, and he felt like someone had taken a baseball bat to his head. This pain was worse than pain from any other punch he had gotten in his LIFE! Soon, something warm began to trickle out of his nose.

Blood.

The blonde boy sneered at Gajeel, balling his fists. This guy was fucking strong!

_Easy, easy. Hear him out, remember not to fight._

Gajeel put a hand over his nose, but made no other move. He only glared back at the blonde boy, his will to be a part of Fairy Tail too determined.

"How could you hurt her, you bastard?!" The boy yelled, a vein popping up in his forehead. "She's the sweetest damn girl at this fucking academy! And you beat her and roped her to a damn TREE!"

It was taking 110% of Gajeel's self-control to not fight back.

But in the end, getting revenge wasn't worth losing true happiness.

The image of Natsu, Gray, and Elfman popped into his head, along with himself, right next to them. They were all smirking deviously like they had just gotten away with something.

Gajeel wanted that.

And he was damn well gonna get it.

Fuck this blonde headed guy.

"DO YOU HEAR ME?!" Blondie roared. "I could ALMOST look past the fact that you almost destroyed the school's reputation while being such a douchebag! But NO! You had to scar Levy as well! What the hell is your problem?!"

He sent a flying kick into Gajeel's stomach, making the pierced boy stumble onto the ground and cough violently. The wind was knocked out of him, and he gasped for air. But it wasn't long before the blonde boy started kicking him repeatedly. Over, and over, a solid strike to the side with his shoe.

"I. Am. Laxus. This is my SCHOOL! You mess with it, I will FUCKING KILL YOU! I-"

"I just wanna be a part of this school." Gajeel choked.

"FAIRY TAIL DOESN'T NEED SCUM LIKE YOU!" With that, Laxus delivered a hard blow to the pierced boy, and he felt his vision grow hazy. He was blacking out.

The last thing Gajeel felt was a drip on rain on his nose until he fell totally unconscious.

* * *

"Gajeel."

"...Huh?"

Gajeel was lying on the wet ground of Fairy Tail academy, his clothes soaking as the rain poured onto him. His eyes could see a blurry figure standing above him. It was plum purple.

"It doesn't have to be this way, Gajeel." The purple figure said. It was a man's voice, deep and commanding. He recognized it.

Dr. Jose Porla.

" ...?"

"Indeed."

"Wha...What're you doing here?" The surprise almost made him jump. He tried not to wince as he became aware of his current situation. Laxus had beat his ass to the ground and now he was in severe pain. Gajeel managed to hide his discomfort by clenching his jaw and balling his fists.

"This is perfect. I'm actually pleased that you chose to enroll in this school. I don't know how you've been dealing with all the pompous Fairies strutting around all the time. They look down on you, don't they? Hate you? Glare at you?"

_Damn straight they do._

Dr. Jose continued.

"But, I'd expect nothing less from Phantom Lord's ace in the hole, the one and only Black Steel. Hard as iron nails, deadlier than a double-edged sword. As my students say, of course. Iron Gajeel is so tough, he could smash skulls in with his dreaded pipe."

"Phantoms been hyping me up," Gajeel laughed bitterly, "and look at me now. Ass beat, soakin' wet, probably lookin' like a fuckin' mess."

"Maybe so." Dr. Jose paused, and glared at Fairy Tail Academy with contempt. "The brawny blonde Fairy who beat you up is named Laxus. He's the grandson of the old coot that runs this place."

"What?! He's Dr. Makarov's-" Gajeel stopped to wince, "Dr. Makarov's GRANDSON?!"

"Indeed. One of the most stuck up of them all. Do you see how he swaggers about this posh place, his nose in the sky? Thinking everyone is below him, and he can treat them however he wishes?" Gajeel grunted.

"And he believes he so above all that he dares challenge Kurogane, the King of Phantom Lord?" A terrible, knowing smile stretched Dr. Jose's thin purple lips. It almost seemed as if... As if he were provoking Gajeel.

That shit worked- Gajeel was madder than a guy who had just stubbed his toe.

And that made a guy HELLA MAD.

"I've never seen that bastard before." Gajeel said, firey anger bubbling up in his cold, soaked stomach. That guy came and beat him to the ground out of nowhere. And Kurogane didn't take shit from blonde muscle-heads that didn't know what the hell they were talking about.

He had called himself, 'Kurogane'.

Gajeel's Phantom side was growing back.

Gajeel suddenly wanted to whip his unused iron pipe out and smash someone's head in. He wanted to drink beer and smoke in a dark alley. He wanted to grab a chick off the streets and make out with her until she passed out.

Oh yes, Gajeel's Phantom Lord side was back... More than ever.

After slowly fading away, oh so slowly during the summer, it was finally beginning to re-emerge. Dr. Jose's appearance and words had resurrected it, and it could consume Gajeel completely if it got too big.

But I'm sure YOU have, Dr." The pierced boy continued.

"Damn right I have. I see-"

"Everything. I know."

The principal chuckled darkly. "Indeed, Gajeel. I've seen everything from your conversation with Makarov to your brawl with those Fairy boys. This is good, really. Even if it wasn't intentional, this works exceptionally well with my plan. And you, of course, will get your revenge on Laxus."

"Gihi." He smiled, baring his sharp canines. "What's the plan?"

"You'll be our agent on the inside, to carry out Project F2. Fairy Tail, TWO. I assume you are aware of the Fairies and their disgusting friendship?"

Gajeel's Phantom side didn't allow him to remember that he liked the way having friends made him feel. Natsu, Gray, and Elfman were completely forgotten.

_Why should I fuckin' bother? Guys like Laxus are probably all over the damn school. I don't need friends, I'm Kurogane for god's sake. Screw the Fairies._

"Yeah. That's a waste of time." He growled.

Dr. Jose tilted his head. ''Indeed. It will be their downfall. Because we're going to have you make friends with them... and betray them in the end."

"Che. I won't enjoy kissin' up to those bastards."

"Oh, but the results are so much sweeter if you do, Gajeel." Cackling sinisterly, Dr. Jose's grin widened. "You'll set fire to the building, LETTING EVERYONE SEE THAT THE FRIEND THEY KNEW AND TRUSTED WOULD DESTROY THEM IN THE END! AHAHAHAHA!" He threw his head back and laughed evilly until he began to choke on rain. A terrible smile, equally as sinister as Jose's formed on Gajeel's lips. He was liking this plan already.

Mischief.

Danger.

Revenge.

"And that's not even the best PART, my boy," Dr. Jose drawled, "you can go on a wild rampage after the building is burnt! I know you've been itching for a good chance to utilize the weapon you're so well-known for... And you will have it! Destroy the Fairies, knock them out of the sky! Because it's time for a new creature to replace them! AHAHA! Phantom Lord will rise again! WE WILL HAVE OUR REVENGE!"

"GIHI!" Gajeel laughed, oblivious to the cold rain still pouring heavily onto his body. The Phantom in him was moving through his veins, pulling at his muscles. He wanted action and he wanted it right fucking now. Anger and excitement washed away his ability to use reason.

He didn't realize that damage to property could possibly get him fined a truckload of money.

He didn't realize that this plan would make him lose the happiness that came from friendship forever.

He didn't realize that Phantom Lord would never be revived, no matter how many efforts were made.

"LET'S DO THIS SHIT!" Gajeel roared, opening his mouth wide and cackling into the chilly air. Thunder boomed above Fairy Tail academy, adding a dramatic effect to the two men's scheming.

Gajeel also didn't realize that he was making another HUGE MISTAKE.

What an idiot.

And that idiot lied there, on the ground, smirking in the rain. The cool drops beat down on him, and he eventually fell asleep.

* * *

_I'm dying to read that book, but there are no more copies at the library and the hold list is at least a mile long! Darn it!_

Levy was strolling out of the Fairy Tail library after a long search for a new book. She had gotten BUPKIS. Zip. Zilch. NONE.

_Guess that's a downside to always inhaling books, _she thought, sighing, _you run out of reading material much faster. _

Levy neared the front doors of the school. As she walked closer, she could hear the gentle pattering of autumn rain. It was kind of pretty.

_Oh no, I don't have an umbrella! _The blue haired girl thought, slapping a hand over her forehead. Furrowing her brows, she took off her jacket and draped it over her head.

"Here we go!"

And with that, she ran out of the school, covered by a little tent of fabric. The air was cool, and icy rain raced to the ground. This storm was strong, and someone could get soaked if they stood in it for only a minute. The rain beat on the school harshly, creating a loud hum.

_This rain is really heavy, _she thought, looking around, _I wonder if-_

_OH MY GOD!_

There was a large lump lying on the ground, a few feet away from Levy. She could see the glint of wet metal on it. The petite girl ran forward to the figure.

It was a boy. Levy brushed wet, long black hair off his face, revealing his identity.

The boy was Gajeel.

Levy squeaked, and pulled her hand back. GAJEEL! She had touched him!

Shivering, she remembered the incident last year. His touch was as cold as he was himself- it brought all sorts of bad memories back.

_REMEMBER YOUR PROMISE! _

Levy remembered it. Oh, she remembered THAT even better. Her promise to be guide to Gajeel, to reach out to him, to give him love that nobody else could. Now, Gajeel was lying on the ground soaked to the bone. He could get sick after lying in the rain for so long! She just HAD to help him out!

But, the part of her that remembered his attack wanted to leave him out in the rain to drown. Gajeel had hurt her, why should she try to help him?

_Because... _

_Because I'm just that kind of person._

Levy looked back at Gajeel's face, a new determination flashing in her eyes. Gajeel's own were closed. He looked like he was sleeping, but she needed to get him somewhere dry before his slumber was eternal! She would keep her promise to Dr. Makarov- and help this boy!

_I need to get him inside where it's warm, _she thought. _The school! _

Levy tugged on Gajeel's huge hand. How was a little girl like her going to haul this huge 6-foot-something giant into the academy?

_I have to try!_

And with that, she tossed his muscular arm around her shoulder, and slowly dragged him inside Fairy Tail.

"Whoa!" Levy yelped. She had almost dropped Gajeel on the ground.

After a few strained minutes of hauling the pierced boy inside, Levy finally got him under a roof. She didn't know how long he had been lying in the rain- but judging by the state of his clothes, it was probably a long damn time.

"Right..." Levy said to herself. What was the first thing you did when you found a huge guy out soaking in the rain, asleep/ possibly dead? And that guy was someone who pretty much snapped your spirit in two about a year ago?

The answer- SUCK IT UP and get the dude dry.

_Obviously._

Levy kneeled to look at the pierced boy lying on Fairy Tail academy's floor. He seemed like he was taking a peaceful nap.

_If you can't see his piercing eyes, he's actually not too bad-looking. Much less beast-like. _The blue haired girl thought. But she shoved the girly thoughts from her mind and replaced them with determination to help Gajeel out.

_First things first- he needs to get out of his wet clothes._

Levy reddened at the mere thought of undressing this boy.

"I-I-I can't do it... No... no way..." She stuttered to herself. "No, Levy, what's more important? Your shy little mind or his safety? Ugh, who are you even talking to?"

Levy probably sounded like a maniac, talking to herself. She thanked the heavens that it was around 6:00 PM, and no teachers were at school anymore to witness her crazy antics.

_JUST DO IT!_

Quickly, Levy grabbed Gajeel's loose tie. Her eyes darted around, looking everywhere EXCEPT at the sleeping pierced boy. She was going to get this over with quick. How she expected to do that without looking at Gajeel, nobody will know.

Levy untied Gajeel's tie, and set it down beside him. Next was his soaked shirt.

_Oh, great. _

Red as a cherry, the blue haired girl began unbuttoning Gajeel's shirt. It clung to his skin, and her fumbling fingers made the task of unbuttoning WAY more troublesome than it should have been. Her hand brushed against his muscled chest, and she squeaked.

_Hurry up and it'll be over! _

Finally, Gajeel's shirt was peeled off. It revealed the tone body of the one and only Kurogane, the result of working out tons at Phantom Lord. His skin was naturally tan, and Levy couldn't help but take a little peek-

_Nooooooooooo. No no no no no NO. NOOOOOO! Don't do it! _

Too late. She was ogling this boy big time now.

He was just like those characters in her romance novels- strong, dominating, raw. Gajeel was a beast from the tip of his wild black hair to the soles of his studded navy boots.

And what girl didn't admire beasts? They were beautiful.

_What do you think you're admiring?! If he wakes up with the biggest cold known to man it'll be entirely your fault, Levy! Utilize your brain, not your teenage hormones! Get that fool dry! _Levy reminded herself. She immediately felt embarrassed for letting her eyes stay on Gajeel's body for so long.

But he was so... so-

_WAKE THE HELL UP! _

Levy shook her head. It was time to focus. She would have to remove the next article of clothing so it wouldn't freeze him to death.

Pants.

_Ha-ha. Very funny, fate. VERY FUNNY. Why am I not laughing? _Levy thought sarcastically. Fate just wanted to kill her, didn't it?

Levy's pale, delicate hands slowly reached out to Gajeel again, shivering in nervousness and embarrassment. She immediately pulled back and jolted up.

"No-no-nooo... The shirt I could handle, but I shall go no lower!" Levy said to herself. She just couldn't!

_Might as well get him the next best thing for him. _

With that, she ran to the nurse's office. There would probably be blankets in there to keep Gajeel warm. In just a few minutes, she came back holding the hugest blanket in the office. Levy spread it over the pierced boy.

She sighed and plopped down on the floor next to him. It probably wouldn't be a good idea to leave the academy until the storm was over.

_Guess it's just me and Gajeel until the sky clears up._

_Maybe I'll just take a little nap. _

Levy closed her hazel eyes, and leaned into the wall behind her.

"BOOM!" Thunder roared from outside.

Gajeel jolted awake, his head hitting the wall behind him. _Ow, _he thought.

Slowly, he looked around him. He was inside Fairy Tail, sitting on the ground. The windows outside showed lightning and pattering rain. A clock on the wall nearby read 7:50 PM. Last time he remembered, he was lying on the floor outside, getting soaked in the rain. He had talked to Dr. Jose, and learned about his vengeful plan.

_Gihi. Action starts now._

He smirked evilly. Phantom would bounce back, and destroy this damn school. Screw the Fairies!

Gajeel moved to get up, then felt something move with him. Something was leaning on his shoulder.

The pierced boy turned, and saw a head of electric blue hair. Soft breathing came from the figure, and Gajeel immediately knew who it was.

_Oh shit._

* * *

**AWWWWWWWWWWWWW YEAAAHHHHHH.**

**Dat Gajeel/Levy interaction tho.**

**I really hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, it was a blast to write. Because I've ogled quite a few guys myself (I HAVE NO SHAME IN ADMITTING IT!) and I felt I could really express that feeling well through my writing.**

**Yep, that's about as classy as staring at men gets, folks.**

**AHEM!**

**Anyway, review, follow, favorite, the good stuff. I'll be back! Bye!**


	6. Trapped

**So-**

**OH MY F*CKING GOD OH MY F*CKING GOD!**

**HAVE YOU GUYS SEEN FAIRY TAIL CHAPTER 376.5?!**

**PAGE 11!**

**GOOD GOD I AM FREAKING THE F*CK OUT! I AM DANCING IN MY ROOM LIKE A LUNATIC, SQUEALING LIKE A LITTLE GIRL, AND YOU BET YOUR ASS IT FEELS F*CKING GOOD!**

**It's a frigging GaLe OVERLOAD! I won't tell you what it is, just check it out for yourself- but that shit is TOO LEGIT! MASHIMA DREW THAT BY HIS F*CKING SELF IT IS TOO LEGIT I SWEAR I AM FANGIRLING TO DEATH RIGHT NOW.**

**Ahem!**

**Anyways, check it out. And enjoy the new chapter! Levy and Gajeel have been circling each other, now it's time for the action!**

**And if you'll excuse me, I'll be going off to the bathroom to wash my mouth out with soap.**

**By the way- I am SO SORRY for all the delay. I originally expected for this to be out on fanfiction WAY sooner than now, but I kept feeling the need to change everything over and over to get the right feel...**

* * *

Gajeel ungracefully shrugged Levy off his shoulder, not caring in the least about waking her up. The Phantom part of his mind was disgusted, almost, that a Fairy had laid her head on him. What, was he a pillow?

Gajeel didn't ask how he had gotten a warm blanket over himself or how he had gotten completely dry. He didn't even bother asking, 'Why is a girl sleeping on my shoulder?' Why didn't he question the situation he was in? He was too riled up to notice.

His mind was jumbled with angry emotions, vengeful emotions, and excitement. Anger over being beaten like a rug by some stupid guy who thought he ran the place. You bet your ass he wanted revenge- he was walking normally and the dude fucking ambushed him!

The blue haired girl slowly sagged to the floor, still sleeping peacefully. Soft breaths escaped from her lips. She looked like a little angel. But Gajeel wasn't around to see that, he was already gone.

_That blonde bastard... Wait till I see him, Imma crush his fuckin' head in. _He snarled in his thoughts. Heavy steps filled the dark, empty hallways with sound. Gajeel was angry, and if he walked any harder he'd probably crack the floor. He really didn't know where he was going.

Just away.

Away from that girl.

Soon, he came across the boy's bathroom.

The door flung open with a crash as the pierced boy stomped in. He walked straight up to the mirrors and took a look at himself, breathing hard.

Gajeel's crimson eyes were ablaze as he stared through the mirror. He was shirtless. Laxus had knocked him down, kicked him over and over, and punched him in the nose. The blood on his face had been washed by the rain, but several scratches remained on his tanned arms as the aftermath of being thrown to the ground. They were raw red and stinging in the cool restroom. Gajeel's hair was damp, and unruly strands hung from his forehead. He was like the human form of a wolf just returning from battle.

As he stared, he gritted his sharp teeth and fumed.

The pierced boy wasn't really one for thinking. Who needed thinking, anyway? Gajeel was a guy who went with his gut, no matter what. If you knew what you had to do, you didn't sit around like a little bitch and THINK. You got up, guns blazing, and punched someone in the face.

_Violence is the solution to everything, _Gajeel remembered a fellow Phantom telling him.

_Damn right it is._

Gajeel knew he was angry, but that was it. He was so confused- he didn't know WHY, first of all. Was he angry because Laxus had hurt his pride? Or was he angry because Laxus had beat him even when he was trying to become a part of Fairy Tail?

Gajeel wanted to fit in so badly, but after the reemergence of his Phantom side, he wasn't so sure anymore. Was the warm friendship of Gray, Natsu, and Elfman worth being shunned and looked down on by everyone else?

Was he really even angry...?

Was the explosive emotion burning inside him not actually anger, but frustration?

There were so many questions Gajeel had, but he wasn't asking himself any of them. Emotion clouded judgement and reasonable thinking- and Gajeel's ability to think straight was about as clear as pea soup.

He wanted to punch the bathroom mirror in. To crush something, break it to pieces. Just to let some anger out. To prove he was worthy.

Of what?

Gajeel didn't know that either.

After all... He wasn't some kind of iron wielding god like the Phantoms had made him out to be.

He was just a boy trying desperately to find happiness.

And that boy's anger was beginning to run out. Fury faded to frustration, which weathered away to somberness, and turned to despair.

_THIS IS SO FUCKING FRUSTRATING! _

Instead of cracking the glass of the mirror, Gajeel leaned his forehead on its cold surface.

_I want revenge. That'll make me happy._

_But I want acceptance too. _

_Which one do I want more?_

_Maybe I want 'em both the same. _

_Revenge would probably get me booted from the damn school for life. Jose's plan of burnin' the place down..._

A smirk formed on Gajeel's lips, but it didn't reach his eyes like it had idea of hurting everyone who shunned him was appealing, but not enough to carry it out.

_But then I could go back. Go back to bein' a Phantom- breakin' rules, livin' wild. _

_I was happy back then._

No, not truly. But Gajeel didn't know that.

He didn't know anything.

As his problems swirled tauntingly around in his head, Gajeel began to get tired. It was enough, all this inner conflict. The beating and punching and kicking shit, Gajeel could take- but if pain came from the inside, it was a million times worse.

Finally, Gajeel did something he thought he'd never do. He pulled away from the mirror and left the bathroom.

Going to get help.

* * *

"Mmmph..." Levy mumbled sleepily. She rubbed her eyes.

_That was a pleasant nap. _

Looking at the clock on the wall, she noticed it was around 8 PM. Boy, it had been a long time.

The blue haired girl stretched. Lightning flashed overhead, illuminating the dark hallways of the school in an eerie way. A boom of thunder followed. It was still pouring outside.

_Hey! Where's Gajeel?!_

Gajeel was no longer conked out next to her- she was totally alone. He had left the blanket behind. Maybe he had woken up and left.

_This is what I get for lugging his huge heavy body inside and drying him off, huh? He didn't even say thank you!_

_But then again, he's probably not the type that thanks much... or even talks_.

Sighing, Levy stood up. Gajeel might still be in the building. She looked to the front door, where his backpack was lying in a soggy mess. If he had left, he probably would have taken it with him. The blue haired girl walked over to the backpack and tried to pick it up.

Keyword: TRIED.

"Nggh... Unnnh!" Levy struggled to pull the pack up, and eventually heaved it onto her shoulder with a labored breath. What made this thing so heavy?!

The backpack landed back on the ground with a thump. The blue haired girl would probably have to leave it by the door and find Gajeel without it.

She looked down the hallway, left and right. Where could Gajeel have gone? Looking to the floor, she noticed tiny splatters of water trailing away in a path. Gajeel's boots were totally soaked, if he walked around they'd be sure to drip. This was the way to go. Levy began following the little drops on the ground, examining them carefully.

"DAMMIT!" Someone yelled angrily.

What was that?

The sound of the voice echoed down the hall. DAMMIT, Dammit, dammit, dammit... It was deep and growly. Assuming that Levy and Gajeel were the only people in the school, that was probably Gajeel. The sound had come from the left, near the library.

"Hello?" Levy yelled back, hoping to find him. "Gajeel?!"

The way that name rolled off her tongue gave her a weird feeling. That name was cold like gleaming steel. Ga-jeel.

Unique.

Cool.

Dangerous.

The blue haired girl called out again while running in the voice's direction."HEY! Where are you?!"

"FUCKIN' SCHOOL'S TOO HUGE!" He roared back, his words even louder. She was definitely getting closer to him.

After turning corners and sprinting down more halls, Levy finally reached a figure looming in the darkness of the school. It was Gajeel, in all his half-naked glory. His lips were twisted into a snarl, and the boy looked extremely frustrated.

"Um... Hi." Levy said awkwardly, not being able to look him in the eye. She trained her own on the ground. Gajeel didn't say anything back, but he stared hard.

An uncomfortable silence (well, at least for Levy) filled the air. She could feel the pierced boy's red glare burning a hole in the top of her head.

_He's like Medusa- don't look him in the eyes and you'll be fine. _She reminded herself.

"So, ah... What are you doing here?"

Silence.

Levy could feel her legs shaking. She wasn't totally scared of Gajeel anymore, just... tense. It had been his hands that had hurt her the worst in her life- a whack to the head and a huge punch to the stomach, not to mention public shaming as well can leave huge imprint on one's mind.

"Er... Are you lost?"

"NO." He grunted back, a little too quickly.

He was lost. Levy almost smiled.

"Do you want to go back to, uh, get your stuff?" He didn't respond. "I'll take that as a yes."

Levy turned and started walking back to where her and his stuff was. By the sounds of his boots walking behind her, she knew he was following. Her own quiet steps joined his in the echoey halls of the school.

_Should I say something...?_

She looked back at Gajeel and immediately looked away, embarrassed. He was staring straight at her, crimson eyes boring into the back of her head. Why did he have to do that? It was making her uncomfortable and shifty. The pierced boy was eyeing her like a crouching lion would to its unsuspecting food.

And Levy did NOT want to be food.

"Ahem!" She coughed quietly, looking around the school. The usually bright white walls looked gray in the night. Soft moonlight gave them a peaceful glow as it flowed through the windows. Shadows from the clouds outside cast onto the building, looking like fluffed black blobs hanging around the school. The rain was pattering gently against the school.

As Levy busied herself with examining her surroundings, Gajeel followed her down the hall silently. Staring, watching.

CREEPY.

But really, he had nothing better to do.

Gajeel had only attended Fairy Tail Academy for like, TWO DAYS. How was he supposed to know where things were and where they weren't? When he had woken up from who knows where- it could have been near the cafeteria, or near the nurse's office, or the counselor's- he didn't fucking know. Having woken up angry, Gajeel was more focused on his vengeful emotions than thinking rationally, and just got up and left. He was walking randomly until he came upon one of the bathrooms.

Then, he left and got LOST.

It was embarrassing- but he didn't know where the hell he was going. The school was new to him.

Maybe he really DID need this Levy girl. At least SHE knew her way around this joint.

Soon, the two reached their destination- a hallway with two soggy backpacks and a blanket leaning against its wall. Levy walked over to the stuff and picked her own backpack up.

"We should probably try go home now..." The blue haired girl said, looking towards another hall.

Gajeel walked over to his own backpack, which was sopping wet.

_Fuck, I hope my iron pipe didn't rust up too much. _He thought, opening it up. Inside was his dress shirt, folded and damp, along with some water damaged paper and a few pencils.

Gajeel reached in to feel for his weapon. It was still the same- smooth, cool, strong. He wouldn't have to worry about any damage to it.

Pulling his shirt out of his backpack, he put it back on. The clothing felt cold on his skin, but it was probably better if he wore it instead of walking around like a stripper or something. He paid no attention to the fact that Levy was the one who had taken it off him.

"Let's go to the front door. " She said, her steps resuming again. The heels of her shoes clicked and clacked against the tile of the academy.

They got to the front door quickly. Levy walked up to it and pulled the handle.

"Uh oh..."

Her fingers turned cold.

The door was locked.

She yanked it again, harder. It rattled but didn't budge a bit.

Boy, this was bad.

Suddenly, Gajeel shoved his way in front of her, and gripped the door handle. With a grunt, he pulled on it with brute strength. The thing really WAS locked.

"It's locked..." She said, sighing.

"No way, Captain Obvious." The boy replied, letting out a snort. Levy's cheeks warmed a little at his sarcastic jab. ''A-anyway," the blue haired girl replied quickly, "there's another way out, through the back." She began walking away from the front door, and Gajeel's loud steps followed after her.

* * *

"Damn..." Gajeel growled as he yanked on the back door's knob. It was stuck.

_Who locks shit from the outside, anyway? Hello, PEOPLE INSIDE?! WHAT THE FUCK?_

Even after about three more pulls with his muscular arms, the door wasn't moving. They were trapped like rats.

Gajeel let go of the handle and just stared at the door. What was he gonna do now?

He hadn't eaten dinner.

He was tired.

He was sore.

He hadn't finished his homework.

_Ha-ha, screw that. I wasn't gonna do it anyway._

"Ahem." Levy coughed from behind him. He turned to look at her.

"So..." She said looking around.

"What?" He growled back.

"The doors... They're all locked from the outside. We're stuck. And it's still raining outside."

"You might be, but I ain't."

Gajeel reached into his backpack again and swifly pulled out his iron pipe. A window nearby could be turned into a door if all the glass inside it was broken off.

"W-what are you doing?" Levy stuttered as she looked at him.

He lowered his head, standing many feet away from a large window. In one hit, the glass would be reduced to powder.

"I got this."

Drawing his pipe-wielding arm back, the pierced boy was ready. In THREE...

"HEY!"

TWO...

"GAJEEL!"

ONE...

Suddenly, small hands wrapped around his iron pipe, and pulled it down.

"ARE YOU NUTS?!" Levy screamed at him, her hazel eyes flashing like lights. "That's vandalism and there is NO WAY I'm having that! Dr. Makarov told me to show you the ropes of this place, and the number one rule is NO SMASHING STUFF!"

She huffed and puffed, gritting her teeth. That tirade had made her lose all her breath. Gajeel's blood-red eyes bored into her like lasers getting ready to turn her to dust. Levy's own topaz gaze wavered, and her grip on the pipe loosened.

Those eyes still had control over her.

Quickly, the blue haired girl turned away, embarrassed.

"W-we should probably just stay inside..." Levy mumbled.

_What made me do that? I jumped at him and stopped him from screwing up one of the school's windows... Me, little 4' 10 Levy McGarden! WHERE DID THAT KIND OF COURAGE EVEN COME FROM? _She thought.

Gajeel set his iron pipe on his shoulder, and gave the back of Levy's head a hard glare. Back at Phantom, you did what you needed to do. Rules? FUCK THEM!

As if she knew what he was thinking, Levy spoke.

"This isn't Phantom Lord. There are certain rules you have to follow if you want to stay."

Gajeel heard her gasp quietly, as if she didn't believe she had just said that to him.

"Um... Th-that's why I'm here... To show you what the rules are!" Levy made a tiny movement towards him, like she was going to turn around, but quickly decided not to.

Dry silence hung in the air, and the tension between the two was palpable. Gajeel was glaring and Levy was looking away, biting her lip. Nobody made a move or a sound, and they both stood there for who knows how long.

Suddenly, the quiet was cut off by Gajeel's stomach growling.

"Ehm..." Levy mumbled, still facing away from him. "Let's go to the cafeteria where the vending machines are... Follow me-"

"I know where the damn place is." Gajeel muttered, shoving past Levy. She quivered as he bumped her.

He stomped away, studded boots thumping on the school's fancy tile floors. Levy didn't move until he was completely out of sight.

"Stuck all night at school..." She whispered to herself.

"With him..."

* * *

**Alright! This chapter has come to an end. **

**Again, I apologize for my absence, but I assure you that later absences will not be this long. I hope you enjoyed all the interaction, and GET REAAAAAAAADY for more GaLe interaction in the next chapter!**

**The two of them, alone in the empty halls of Fairy Tail Academy... This is just lemon waiting to happen!**

**Just kidding, I don't do lemon. Because if you do lemon, you have to list your story as MATURE, and- well, that's exactly what I am NOT!**

**Anyways. Leave a review, favorite, follow, the good stuff. Till next time!**


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